Cold storage transportation device

Abstract

A cold storage and transportation device is provided which features a cooler having a metal housing and having an internal cavity adapted for placement of a storage rack therein. The storage rack is configured with a plurality of formed sections adapted to hold biological products, such as blood, in flexible bags safely and at a controlled temperature. Circular winding of the refrigeration tubing enhances cooling and temperature maintenance.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62 / 086,099 filed on Dec. 1, 2014, and incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference thereto.[0002]The present device relates to the storage for transport of refrigerated items. More particularly the disclosed device, relates to a rack device configured to hold a plurality of flexible bag containers, or other such containers, in optimal positioning for support during transport. The rack is configured to provide optimal circulation of airflow from a surrounding mating cooler and communicate such to the bags held in the rack, to maintain them in a chilled condition. The device is particularly well configured to transport blood, plasma, and other biological material which must be maintained chilled.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Since it was discovered that blood and other blood and biological products could be provided from donors for patient treatment, the transport o...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for transport of blood, blood products, and biological products, in a manner that maintains housed products within a predetermined temperature range.

[0012]It is an additional object of this invention to provide such a system which provides a means to easily insert and remove the products being transported from the internal cavity of a cooler housing, while protecting them from puncture and abrasion, and concurrently positioning them for optimal airflow there around once positioned in the housing.

[0013]Further, it is an object of this invention to provide such a cold transport system, which provides a rack that is complimentary in shape to an internal cavity of a transport cooler housing, which holds, protects, and allows easy identification of the held containers or bags therein, without their removal from the rack itself.

Problems solved by technology

Since it was discovered that blood and other blood and biological products could be provided from donors for patient treatment, the transport of blood and blood products and other biological materials has been a particular problem.

This is because should such products fail to be strictly maintained at particular low temperatures at all times, spoilage can result.

This is because should these products become temperature-compromised during storage or transport to a recipient, infection, rejection, and even death to such a receiving patient can occur.

Such threshold levels are well below room-temperature and any elevated temperature during such transport above or below these threshold levels, can easily cause spoilage and health risks to patients.

Consequently, conventional medical coolers do not provide for internal air flow and product spacing which maximizes communication of chilled air to the stored items.

Further conventional medical containers lack a configuration to concurrently preventing cooler-burn from affecting blood products and the like.

Cooler-burn generally occurs from overly cold temperatures contacting portions of stored bags and the like used for blood and blood products for too long of a duration.

Further, conventional coolers do not provide a rack or removable containment component, which holds the bags or containers in an organized inventory, and which are configured with apertures and transparent walls which allow easy identification of the held bags or containers without removing them from the rack itself.

Further, such refrigerated coolers are inefficient in design and construction.

Various limitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings.

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