Abstract:
A shipping apparatus includes a container with a closeable top for carrying pharmaceuticals and a cooling means for keeping the pharmaceuticals temperature protected. The apparatus further includes a retention means within the container for positioning and securing the pharmaceuticals and cooling means, and a gripping means for transporting the container. 
     A method of using a shipping apparatus includes the steps of assembling a container with a closeable top for carrying pharmaceuticals, activating, and inserting a cooling means into a retention means of the container for keeping said pharmaceuticals temperature protected. The steps further include inserting the pharmaceuticals into the retention means within the container for positioning and securing the pharmaceuticals, closing the top of the container and engaging a gripping means for transporting the container.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This present invention relates to a shipping container and, more particularly, to a shipping container whereby pharmaceuticals or the like can be shipped with temperature protection. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There exist numerous temperature controlled containers that include various types of refrigeration systems, for example, ice in a portable food storage chest. The need has existed, for some time, to store and ship foods, confections, drugs and the like at lower than ambient temperatures to prevent spoilage or other forms of degradation prior to actual use of the product. It is noted that temperature controlled shipping containers are generally designed for a specific use. 
     In particular, if drugs or pharmaceutical items are to be shipped it may be critical that a certain predetermined temperature range or level be maintained. On the other hand, if biological degradation is to be slowed in the shipment of, for example, sterile penicillin, another temperature and another type of container must be used. Likewise, standard containers such as Styrofoam chests or other types of refrigeration means, such as ice, have been well known in the prior art and each is adapted to a specific use. However, in the storage and transportation of pharmaceutical substances, serum, vaccines and the like, measures must be taken to insure that the object to be shipped or stored can be constantly kept within a predetermined temperature range. To date this type of storage container is expensive because it is specifically constructed to a particular need. 
     One such temperature protected container is an assembly that includes a plurality of retention members and a temperature control means. The container includes both an outer protective layer and an inner insulating layer. The outer protective layer and the insulating layer define a shipping cavity containing the liquid retention members and the temperature control means. However, the container is expensive to construct and the cooling means are ice blocks, which must be kept refrigerated prior to use in a waterproof bag or container. The use of ice is both time consuming and irritating, wherein the ice requires an exterior refrigeration system for them to work and does not evenly absorb heat from the object being kept cool. The use of this container with ice packs is not convenient as the ice melts and the remaining liquid must be disposed of prior to using the container again. Finally, this container is difficult to pack and cumbersome to carry. 
     What is needed is a temperature protected container that is inexpensively constructed, disposable, and carries two off the shelf bottles of penicillin, and the like, that are used on livestock. What is further needed is a temperature-protected container with a cooling means that is simple to use and reusable. Finally, what is also needed is a temperature-protected container that is easy to assemble. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an aspect of this invention to provide a thermally protected container that is inexpensively constructed, disposable, and carries two of the shelf bottles of penicillin, and the like, that are used on livestock. 
     It is another aspect of this invention to provide a thermally protected container that includes a cooling means that is simple to use and reusable. 
     It is yet another aspect of this invention to provide a thermally protected container that is easy to assemble. 
     To accomplish these and other aspects of this invention, a shipping apparatus includes a container with a closeable top for carrying pharmaceuticals and a cooling means for keeping the pharmaceuticals temperature protected. The apparatus further includes a retention means within the container for positioning and securing the pharmaceuticals and cooling means, and a gripping means for transporting the container. 
     A method of using a shipping apparatus includes the steps of assembling a container with a closeable top for carrying pharmaceuticals, activating, and inserting a cooling means into a retention means of the container for keeping said pharmaceuticals temperature protected. The steps further include inserting the pharmaceuticals into the retention means within the container for positioning and securing the pharmaceuticals, closing the top of the container and engaging a gripping means for transporting the container. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top section view of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-section isometric end view of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While the present invention is described below with reference to a pharmaceutical shipping container, a practitioner in the art will recognize the principles of the present invention are applicable elsewhere. 
     FIG.  1  and FIG. 2 shows the apparatus  10  that is the preferred embodiment of the invention. A container  11  has a definable volume that includes a first outer wall  27 , a second outer wall  28 , a third outer wall  29 , a fourth outer wall  30 , a bottom  35 , a first closeable top  12  and a second closeable top  13 . The container is typically, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, rectangular in shape carrying a first pharmaceutical  14  and a second pharmaceutical  15  that are normally an off-the-self-size. The pharmaceutical industry standard for the first pharmaceutical  14  and the second pharmaceutical  15  are bottles of about 500 mL in size. Typically, the container  11  that carries two 500 mL bottles has an overall dimension of about 3.50 inches deep by 6.50 inches high by 7.00 inches long. However, the container  11  rectangular shape is substitutable for a square shape, a circular shape, an oval shape or any polyhedron shape that is desired. The container  11  volume depends on the size of the first pharmaceutical  14  and the size of the second pharmaceutical  15 . In another embodiment of the invention the first and second pharmaceuticals are added to and include three and four, or more, pharmaceuticals wherein the container has an increase in volume to carry the additional pharmaceuticals. The larger in size the pharmaceuticals and the larger in number the pharmaceuticals the greater the volume of container  11 . Likewise it is comprehensible that container  11  would carry only one pharmaceutical wherein the volume of container  11  would be smaller than the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     The first pharmaceutical  14  is positioned into a first retention means  43  that includes a first inner wall  17 , a second inner wall  18 , a third inner wall  19 , a fourth inner wall  20  and bottom  35  whereby forming a first cavity  43   a . The first pharmaceutical  14  is further retained by a third retention structure  31 . The combination of the inner walls, the bottom  35  and third retention structure  31  secures the first pharmaceutical  14 , inside the first cavity  43   a , preventing the first pharmaceutical from spilling. As is understood by the practitioner in the art the first cavity  43   a  varies in size depending on the size of the first pharmaceutical  14  which in the preferred embodiment of the invention is a 500 mL bottle of liquid medicine or the like. The first pharmaceutical  14  is substitutable by other packages, for example, solid chemicals that will also vary in size. This will also vary the size of the first cavity  43   a.    
     The second pharmaceutical  15  is positioned into a third retention means  45  that includes a fifth inner wall  23 , a sixth inner wall  24 , a seventh inner wall  25 , an eighth inner wall  26  and bottom  35  whereby forming a third cavity  45   a . The second pharmaceutical  15  is further retained by a fourth retention structure  32 . The combination of the inner walls, the bottom and fourth retention structure  32  secures the second pharmaceutical  15 , inside the third cavity  45   a , preventing the second pharmaceutical from spilling. As is understood by the practitioner in the art, the third cavity  45   a  varies in size depending on the size of the second pharmaceutical  15  which in the preferred embodiment of the invention is a 500 mL bottle of liquid medicine or the like. The second pharmaceutical  15  is substitutable by other packages, for example, solid chemicals that will also vary in size. This will also vary the size of the third cavity  45   a.    
     A cooling means  16  is positioned and secured in a second cavity  44   a  by a second retention means  44 . The cooling means  16  provides temperature protection to the first and second pharmaceuticals. This serves the dual function of providing direct transfer of cooling energy to the first pharmaceutical  14  and the second pharmaceutical  15  while at the same time making the most economical use of the cooling means  16 . The retention means  44  is formed by the bottom  35 , a first retention structure  21  with a ninth inner wall  21   a  and a second retention structure  22  with a tenth inner wall  22   a . The first top  33  of the first retention structure  21  and the second top  34  of the second retention structure  22  form the gripping means  46 . As is understood by the practitioner of the art the second cavity  44   a  is a variety of sizes depending on the size of the cooling means  16 . The second cavity  44   a  is formed and separated from the first cavity  43   a  by the first retention structure  21  because cold spots my result in the first pharmaceutical  14  without this separation and consequently crystallize and freeze the first pharmaceutical. Likewise, the second retention structure also serves the purpose of eliminating cold spots in the second pharmaceutical  15 . 
     The cooling means  16  is typically a refrigerant gel pak. The gel pak is substitutable for refrigerant foam bricks or gel bottles. The gel paks, gel bottles and foam bricks stay frozen longer than ice due to a slow and even rate of heat absorption. The refrigerant gel paks and foam bricks vary in size, freezing points and gel structures depending on the application. For example, the variety of gel paks include a polymer gel encased in a 5 mil polyethylene pouch, a food safe non-toxic gel encased in a trilaminate foil, gel bottles and a suppressed temperature gel encased in a trilaminate foil. The suppressed temperature gel, for example, has a −10° F. freezing point. Furthermore, the purpose of this type of packaged refrigerant is to prevent contamination and moisture exchange as well as to prevent molten refrigerant from contaminating the goods being thermally shielded. 
     Another refrigerant that is usable is a foam brick. For example, sodium sulfate decahydrate or calcium chloride hexahydrate is absorbed into a block of open cell phenol-formaldehyde foam and contained in a polyethylene bag closed by heat sealing. Any chemical refrigerant selected should have a melting point about 3 to about 5° C. below the thermo-sensitive temperature of the first pharmaceutical  14  and second pharmaceutical  15 . Furthermore, the purpose of this type of packaged refrigerant is to prevent contamination and moisture exchange as well as to prevent molten refrigerant from contaminating the goods being thermally shielded. 
     The apparatus  10 , container  11 , in the preferred embodiment of the invention, is constructed as a corrugated box board from fibrous material such as liner board, box board, card board and the like. These materials include, but are not limited to, medium weight box board, heavy weight box board, light weight box board, structured foam, plastic, laminated plastic, and the like. The voids  47  that are formed between the outer and inner walls of container  11 , as is readily understood by the practitioner in the art, are typically formed by a corrugated box board construction. Furthermore, the voids  47  that are integral to the construction of corrugated box board are, in the preferred embodiment of the invention are filled with air. However, depending on the application the voids  47  are filled with insulating foam or other insulating materials. Consequently, this enhances the cooling means  16  by slowing the heat absorbed from outside container  11  that would be transferred to the first pharmaceutical  14  and the second pharmaceutical  15 . Alternately, if structured foam is used instead of just box board in the container  11 , the structured foam is used as an inner insulating layer while and outer layer still consists of the box board, plastic or laminated plastic. 
     The insulating foam that fills the voids  47  typically comprises a plastic type material. This is to keep container  11  as light weight as possible, yet dramatically enhance the thermal resistance of the walls of container  11 . Furthermore, it has been shown that polystyrenes, polyurethanes and other polymeric materials, such as insulating vinyl nitrile, have well known foaming characteristics. It can be stated that the better the thermal insulating properties that the foam material exhibits, the more utility it will have in another embodiment of the present invention. 
     When structured foam is used it typically comprises a plastic type foaming material with thermal insulating characteristics. This is to keep container  11  as light weight as possible, yet dramatically enhance the thermal resistance of the walls of container  11 . Furthermore, it has been shown that polystyrenes, polyurethanes and other polymeric materials, such as insulating vinyl nitrile, have well known foaming characteristics. It can be stated that the better the thermal insulating properties that the foam material exhibits, the more utility it will have in another embodiment of the present invention. 
     The first outer wall  27 , the second outer wall  28 , the third outer wall  29 , the fourth outer wall  30 , the bottom  35 , the gripping means  46 , the first closeable top  12  and second closeable top  13  are typically constructed out of a box board paper that is coated to protect container  11  from the natural elements such as rain, snow and the like. It is typical to put a waxy type coating on the outside of box board container walls used for shipping to repel any moisture from entering the first cavity  43   a , the second cavity  44   a  and the third cavity  45   a . This further enhances the quality of the container  11  and helps maintain the thermal protection of container  11  for the first pharmaceutical  14  and the second pharmaceutical  15 . 
     Now referring to FIG. 3, apparatus  10  shows the first closeable lid  12  in the open position. The first closeable lid is open or closed by a first rotation  36 . The second closeable lid  13  is in the closed position. The second closeable lid is open or closed by a second rotation  36   a . The first closeable lid  12  further comprises a first locking structure  41  that allows the lid to be fixedly secured after the first rotation  36  positions the first closeable lid  12  in the closed position. Alternately, the second closeable lid  13  further comprises a second locking structure  42  that allows the lid to be fixedly secured after the second rotation  36   a  positions the second closeable lid  13  in the closed position. As is known by the practitioner in the art, the first and second locking structure are typically narrow slits that are cut into the first closeable lid  12  and the second closeable lid  13 . The first locking structure  41  is positioned as desired on the first flap  12   a , of the first closeable lid  12 , but typically is positioned toward the top and centered on the first flap  12   a . The second locking structure  42  is positioned as desired on the second flap  13   a , of the second closeable lid  13 , but typically is positioned toward the top and centered on the second flap  13   a . However, the slit is substitutable for a snap, a tie-back, a self-adhesive latch, and the like, with the corresponding snap, tie-back, self-adhesive latch, and the like, secured to the second outer wall  28  instead of the fist lip  38  and second lip  39 . 
     A first window  48  is provided in the first outer wall  27 . This first window  48  enables the user of container  11  to view the first pharmaceutical  14 . The user is able to see what first pharmaceutical  14  is present and how much of the pharmaceutical&#39;s content is remaining. Likewise a second window  49  is provided in the third outer wall  29 . This second window  49  enables the user of container  11  to view the second pharmaceutical  15 . The user is able to see what second pharmaceutical  15  is present and how much of the pharmaceutical&#39;s content is remaining. The size of the first window  48  and the second window  49  varies depending on the desired opening of the windows. Typically, the overall dimension of the windows are about 0.75 inches wide by 3.75 inches long in a container  11  that has an overall dimension of about 3.50 inches deep by 6.50 inches high by 7.00 inches long. 
     FIG. 4 shows apparatus  10  with the first pharmaceutical  14  and the second pharmaceutical  15  enclosed in container  11 . The first closeable lid  12  is in the closed position. A first lip  38  that is rotatably secured by a first hinge structure  38   a  is inserted into the first locking structure  41 . Furthermore, the second closeable lid  13  is in the closed position. A second lip  39  that is rotatably secured by a hinge structure  39   a  is inserted into the second locking structure  42 . A design  40  that is a plurality of styles is printed on the second outer wall  28 . Furthermore, a design  40  is printed, if desired, on the first outer wall  27 , the third outer wall  29  and the fourth outer wall  30 . Finally, the gripping means  46  includes a first top  33  of a first retention structure  21  and a second top  34  of a second retention structure  22 . The gripping means  46  further includes an opening  46 a sized to allow the hand of an individual to grab container  11  and transport container  11  to a desired location. 
     Experimentation with the preferred embodiment of the invention has shown that the combination of the cooling means  16  using a refrigerated gel-pak positioned in between a first and second pharmaceutical provides adequate temperature protection. The experimentation was preformed using as the contents a sterile penicillin G procaine enclosed in the preferred embodiment of the invention. The present invention has been found to maintain the penicillin at a temperature of about 10% cooler with the refrigerated gel pak than without the refrigerated gel pak after 1 hour exposed to an ambient temperature of about 33.9° C. Also, the present invention maintained temperature of about 5% cooler with the refrigerated gel-pak than without the refrigerated gel-pak after 5 hours exposed to an average ambient temperature of about 34.8° C. Furthermore, the present invention was found to maintain two pharmaceuticals about 48% cooler than one pharmaceutical after 1-hour using a refrigerated gel-pak on both sets exposed to an ambient temperature of 33.2° C. 
     While there has been illustrated and described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be appreciated that numerous changes and modifications are likely to occur to those skilled in the art. It is intended in the appended claims to cover all those changes and modifications that fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.