Portable solar powered vaccine refrigerator

Abstract

A portable solar powered vaccine refrigerator comprises a stainless steel exterior body(1) with two layers of lid panels(8), fiberglass interior having a freezing compartment and phase change material or ice packs, telescopic handle(11), wheels(4), inbuilt battery storage, solar and AC charging ports with an automatic changeover and selection of power source. A system comprises a smart temperature sensing system(18,408), transmitter(403), receiver(409) and computing system(401) interfaced to a receiver(409), alert mechanism(405) and printed circuit board(402) designed to determine, predict, monitor and manage the stock in real time during transportation.

Description

[0001]PATENT DESCRIPTION Title: Portable Solar Powered Vaccine Refrigerator Technical Field The present invention relates to refrigerators, and in particular to a portable solar powered vaccine refrigerator, system, sensors and process of remote monitoring of temperature, location, status of the door and voltage as well as management of the stock in the fridge using Internet of Things during transportation of vaccines and related products. BACKGROUND ART With the advent of COVID-19, there has been need to move vaccines to far areas including rural areas in developing countries. Vaccines are biological products that can lose their potency if exposed to excessive heat and / or freezing. Different vaccines have different sensitivity to freezing and heat; it is because of this phenomenon that monitoring the temperature of vaccines during storage and transportation is vital. Temperature monitoring devices are needed to keep track of the temperature to which the vaccines and diluents are exposed. Based on the data from these devices; important decisions may be made. This includes using the vaccine if the temperature is within the recommended excursion range, conducting a shake test if freezing is suspected or discarding the vaccine. Further, major hospitals or clinics provide services for administering various types of vaccines. In order to properly store the vaccines, these places will also store the vaccines in refrigerators or low-temperature storage equipment to prevent the vaccines from losing their effective functions due to high temperatures. It can no longer be used by people for vaccination. Vaccine fridges already exist. Examples of companies that supply vaccine fridges include; Solar Freeze, Epicenter Africa, Sun Dazer, M-Kopa Solar and D-Light. These companies are Importers and distributors of solar fridges in Kenya and East Africa. Their fridges are made of plastic or fibre glass which is fragile. They are also bulky, a minimum capacity of 80 litres, they are designed for stationary placement in off grid areas and cannot be used for the transportation of items requiring cold storage. Since these fridges are imported, the suppliers are unable to carry out swift maintenance as some service components have to be imported. They also don’t have remote monitoring or stock management features embedded within their products. The Chinese patent application number CN105953494B by University of Science and Technology of China USTC dated 2016-07-01 discloses a solar energy dual system refrigerator. The invention relates to solar energy dual system refrigerators including refrigerator body, solar photovoltaic powered device, DC frequency-changeable compressor, the first condenser, capillary, the first evaporator, adsorbent bed, the second condenser, control valve, fluid reservoir, the second evaporator. However, the prior art lacks temperature sensing device as taught in the present invention. Temperature controlled environments controlled by heating or refrigeration are commonly used. Refrigeration has many applications, including, but not limited to: household, commercial, medical grade, industrial grade refrigerators and freezers, cryogenic storage units, and air conditioning. The most common use of refrigeration is the storage and safe keeping of perishable goods. When the goods being stored are valuable or they have tight temperature tolerances, proper and accurate measurement and temperature control becomes even more important. The US Patent publication number US10282967B2 of 2015-08-04 discloses a time-temperature tracking label. A time-temperature tracking and indicator system including a laminated label and a computer application. However, unlike the prior art, the proposed invention capitalizes on the cutting technologies such as IoT to monitor changes in temperature of the fridge during transportation. There is a need for a vaccine fridge that can be used not only for in situ placement in health facilities but also for transportation of vaccines and other medications in rural and off grid areas. This requires a fridge that can be transported using available means of transport in the rural areas such as motorcycles or bicycles and can also be powered by other means besides AC due to the lack of or unreliability of the electricity grid. There is also a need for a vaccine fridge that incorporates remote monitoring and data management features as well as a reliable maintenance program for the reliability of the cold chain and accuracy of medical data. Further, there is need to develop devices and systems that can determine, predict, monitor changes in the fridge including temperatures of vaccines during transportation. Objects of the Invention The main object of the present invention is to provides a fridge that will maintain vaccines at the required temperature of -2 and +8 degrees Celsius throughout. The object is to provide portable vaccine refrigeration which enables vaccines and other medical items to be transported easily from one health facility to another and vaccination sites in the field. The other object is to enable the temperature, voltage, location, door status to be monitored remotely. The other object is to streamline vaccine data collection and reporting through a stock management feature. The other object is to avail a temperature sensing device and system that is integrated in a vaccine refrigerator for determining, predicting and monitoring the status of the fridge and its environment. SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present invention discloses a portable solar powered vaccine fridge. It is meant for use in areas with an unreliable grid and areas which are totally off grid, hence is powered by solar, inbuilt battery backup and grid AC. The fridge makes use of a compressor and refrigerant to transfer heat out of the fridge. The fridge also makes use of phase change materials inside the fridge compartment to store energy which is used to maintain the cold temperature for 24 hours even when the fridge is not connected to a power source or when the battery has run out of power. Once the fridge is turned on, it automatically regulates the temperature to operate between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius. This is done without any input from the user. The fridge is equipped with a PCB board that controls the fridge and enables communication between the fridge components so that data on temperature, location, battery voltage, state of charge and door status (open or closed) can be monitored in real time. The data is captured in intervals of 5 minutes and transmitted either by Bluetooth, WIFI or GSM sim card. This data is accessible to health workers and health administrators through a mobile application and web platform. The PCB also stores this data on a memory card when the above methods of transmission are unavailable, this stored data is then transmitted when connectivity is established. The fridge computing system is crafted to sends alerts through the mobile application, web platform or SMS to alert the user when the temperature or voltage is outside the desired range or when the door is left open for more than one minute. The fridge has a 3 dimensional logo and name of portable solar pressed on the top of the door and the front face. There is a LED screen on the front face which displays temperature, voltage, GSM network signal and any error messages. The fridge has a key lock on the front face used to lock the door. It has a vented side panel which can be opened to access the batteries, electronics and compressor. The rear has connection points for solar, AC, an ON / OFF switch and a vent for a cooling fan. On the top lid, there is a door switch. The interior contains a temperature sensor, LED light, and a freezing compartment which contains the evaporator and is also where ice packs are placed. In another embodiment, the invention provides a temperature sensing device and system that is integrated in a vaccine refrigerator for determining, predicting and monitoring the status of the fridge and its environment. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. Brief Description of Figures The novel features believed to be characteristic of the illustrative embodiments are set forth in the appended claims. The illustrative embodiments, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and descriptions thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of one or more illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a front isometric view of portable solar powered vaccine fridge with opened lid as described in the present invention. Fig.2 is the interior assembly of the vaccine fridge showing a rack. Fig.3 is the interior assembly of the vaccine fridge showing location of temperature sensors. Fig.4 illustrates a computing system diagram for temperature monitoring and sending alerts. Fig.5 is Architectures of smart temperature sensor systems FIG.6 is a schematic method of the system for temperature monitoring and alerting procedure. However, for a more complete understanding of the above listed features and advantages of the parachute, its construction and manufacture, reference should be made to the detailed description and the drawings. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention as claimed and is provided in the context of the particular examples discussed below, variations of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation (as in any development project), design decisions must be made to achieve the designers' specific goals (e.g., compliance with system- and business-related constraints), and that these goals will vary from one implementation to another. There has attempts to design and manufacture fridges to meet these needs. However, the present vaccine fridge is robust, portable and lightweight (25kgs) making it suitable for cold storage transportation by mounting it on a bicycle, motorbike or boat. It offers a capacity of 50 litres, enabling a health worker to store or transport at least 3000 vaccine doses. The fridge body is made of stainless steel which is robust, easy to sterilize and rust free. It is locally manufactured and digitally integrated, enabling swift maintenance both remotely and onsite. Its data management component is capable of monitoring temperature, voltage and location in real-time and sends the user alerts when there is a fault so that it can be remedied promptly to avoid spoilage. Vaccine data such as immunizations carried out, expiry dates and stock levels are also recorded and relayed to public health officers in real-time. The detailed description of the invention is as follows: In the first embodiment according to Fig. 1, the invention describes a front isometric view of portable solar powered fridge with opened lid, comprising a body 1 that has a frame, panel lock 10 on the lid 2 or door 7 and its lid panel 8 that is hinged on the body frame 6. The said fridge further comprises two wheels 4 at the rear side, handle 11, compressor 19, ventilators 19A and an LCD 12 on the front side. Still on Fig. 1, the invention teaches about a front isometric view of the fridge with open lid 2 hinged to the body 1. It shows the interior compartments of the goods or ice cubes and the interior assembly with evaporator coil 9 and vaccine rack 14 fixed to the frame 3 and a telescopic handle assembly 11 on the interior lid / cover with a fiberglass panel 16. It also shows the location of accessories panel assembly 8 at the lower end next to outer panel body 1. It shows the location of the panel lock 3A fixed on the upper frame of the body 1 the position of the rear frames fixed to support the lid 2 and the wheel panel 4. On the rear end is a door switch 17, plug and PCB 402. In a similar embodiment, the invention consists of a whole body 1 with a handle 11 and its hinges 7. It also shows the frame and wheel 4 and LCD 12 and foot stand 6 as well. The lid assembly has a gasket, lid bottom panel and the lower panel and an outer assembly and hinge assembly 7. The lid gasket is linked to the panel lock 2A, LCD 12. The fridge has a PCB assembly 402 and its mounting bush including the main accessories assembly and its mounting bush as well as the body accessories isolation panel 8, battery assembly, connector, accessories body cover assembly, compressor module assembly 19 and side cover back assembly of the body 1. It also presents a back cover assembly and shows the connector, wheel 4 and its shaft. It also shows the main body 1 having side cover panel back, switch 17, Anderson plug and AC plug, wheel support basket and transformer. In another embodiment, the invention teaches of the availability of a battery assembly comprising a battery clamp rod, battery bracket, rod and battery fastener bracket. Accessories isolation panel cover assembly enclosing the compressor, screws, ventilators and supported by the body isolation cover panel at the bottom. The interior assembly and accessories isolation panel with a LED and vaccine rack 14, interior assembly comprising an evaporator coil 9, door switch 19, separator and temperature sensor 18, 408. In another embodiment, the invention provides a temperature sensing device and system that is integrated in a vaccine refrigerator for determining, predicting and monitoring the status of the fridge and its environment. Best Mode of Carrying out the Invention At its best according to Fig.1, the invention presents a front isometric view of the portable solar powered fridge with the lid 2 opened. The fridge is of rectangular shape with a chest door or lid 2 design. When closed, there are no protruding edges / shapes except the wheels 4. It also has flash handles 11 on the side for use when lifting or carrying. The accessory panel cover with louvres or ventilators 19A to enhance airflow in the accessory panel as well as cutouts for a cooling fan. On the rear of the fridge there is a telescopic handle 11 which does not protrude beyond the wheel 4. The figure also shows the wheel 4 on the right side as well as a rubber foot stand 6 on the front bottom panel to help level the fridge and limit unnecessary movement when the fridge is parked. On the rear side are the door hinges 7 for the chest door, an on / off switch 17 to power the fridge on and off. There is also a vent 19A to enable airflow to the fridge condenser or compressor 19 and accessory panel 8. There is also an Anderson plug connection which is used to connect to a solar panel (not shown) as well as an AC plug to connect to grid power. The telescopic handle 11 is also in view when fully contracted showing that it leaves adequate space for the lid 2 to open wide. In this figure, there are two wheels 4 and two rubber foot stands 6 at the bottom of the fridge. The lid 2 has a provision for the fridge logo and name as a three dimensional shape extruding from the fridge body. Above the fridge logo, is a key slot for the lock 2A that secures the lid 2 closed. Here the features. There is also an LCD screen 12 that displays information about the operation of the fridge, mounted in the left section of the front face. On the top of the lid 2 there is placed a 3- dimensional logo and name of the fridge extruded from the fridge body 1, similar in size to the 3D logo and name on the front face. The fridge has a lid and a telescopic handle 11 to leave enough space for the fridge lid 2 to open to a 90-degree angle. The lid 2 assembly of the fridge with the lid open showing the interior of the fridge that has two levels, a lower level of the lid 2 on the right and an upper level on the left side of the body 1 with hinge assembly 7. The lid assembly 2 is made up of a top panel assembly made of 1.0 mm thick 304 stainless steel, lid bottom assembly made of fiberglass and a gasket. On the lid 2 of the fridge, the gasket that seals the fridge once it is closed and whose lid outer assembly is made of 1.0 mm thick 304 stainless steel and a hinge 7 assembly which has two stainless steel hinges 7. The lid gasket is used to seal the fridge lid 2, reducing heat loss and moisture ingress. It is made of soft PVC material and is joined to the lid bottom assembly. In another embodiment, the invention presents a PCB 402 assembly mounted inside the accessory panel using mounting bushes to isolate it from the stainless steel. The PCB controls all operations of the fridge. The following components are connected to the PCB 402: temperature sensor 408, LCD screen 12, door switch 17, compressor 19, Battery assembly, DC input from solar’, DC input from AC / DC converter, on / off switch 17, two cooling fans, Sim Card, memory card and LED light in the interior of the fridge as taught in Fig.1, Fig.2 and Fig 4. Modules within the PCB 402 have: MPPT module for battery charging via solar panel, GSM module for mobile internet, SMS service and location, WIFI module of the Internet 406, Bluetooth module that connects to mobile app, memory card holder, server processor 401, RAM, data storage, ROM, voltage stabilizer, buzzer that sounds an audible alarm when there is a fault with the fridge. The PCB 402 reads information from all components connected to it and relays said information to the web platform and mobile application through an internet connection either via mobile internet or Wi-Fi. It also sends information to the screen for display and detects location data through the GSM module embedded in the PCB. In another embodiment, the invention presents the main accessories assembly made up of the accessories isolation panel, battery assembly, accessories panel cover or lid 2 assembly, PCB assembly 402, compressor module assembly 19 and side cover back assembly. It is made up of the outer panels assembly, interior assembly 8, lid assembly 2, accessories panel assembly and telescopic handle assembly 11. Left side view of the fridge with the accessory panel cover 8 removed showing the panel lock 2A LCD 12. Inside the accessory panel is the battery assembly made up of four battery packs, the PCB 402, the compressor 19, condenser and condenser fan or vent 19A as well as other electronic components such as the AC to DC converter, Anderson plug and on / off switch. The wheel support bracket and wheel shaft are welded to this panel and support the wheels 4. The wheels 4 are then locked in place on the wheel shaft using a locking clip. The battery assembly is made up of 4 lithium ion batteries, a battery bracket, battery fastener bracket and battery clamp rod. The brackets and clamp rod are made of aluminum. The function of the battery assembly is to hold the batteries firmly when the fridge is in motion to avoid power disconnection, interruption or failure such as short circuits. The accessories panel 8 is made of 1.0 mm thick 304 stainless steel. It separates the accessory panel and the fridge insulation. Accessories panel cover assembly is made of 1.0 mm thick 304 stainless steel. The fridge 1 has a cooling fan attached to it to aid in air circulation inside the accessory area. It also has louvres to aid in air flow. Inside the accessory panel is the battery assembly made up of four battery packs, the PCB 402, the compressor 19, condenser and condenser fan as well as other electronic components such as the AC to DC converter, Anderson plug and on / off switch. In another embodiment according to Fig.2 and Fig.3, the invention presents an interior assembly. In Fig. 3, the interior panel 16 is made of fiberglass material 9 that holds the vaccine racks 14 inside the fridge 1. Attached to the interior panel 16 are a door switch 17 which senses when the door is open or closed and its door hinges 7 and switch 17, an evaporator coil 9 which cools the interior of the fridge, a temperature sensor 18 which reads the temperature inside the fridge, a separator 15 which holds ice packs (phase change materials) that act as a thermal battery by storing energy at low temperature in the vaccine rack 14. It also has a LED light 13 which automatically switches on when the lid 2 is opened. Between the fiberglass interior panel 16 and exterior stainless steel panels is 50mm thick polyurethane insulation which prevents heat transfer between the ambient environment and the interior of the fridge. Fig.2 illustrates the embodiments of a separator 15 which is made of 1.5mm aluminum. Its purpose is to hold ice packs between itself and the evaporator 15. This ice packs act as a thermal battery 18 enabling the fridge to maintain the set temperature for a longer period even when the fridge is not powered. The separator 15 is attached to the interior panel 16 and is removable. The separator also prevents the freezing temperature from reaching the vaccines, which could result in vaccine spoilage. It allows the vaccines to be cooled indirectly. In another embodiment According to Fig.4, the invention avails a temperature sensing device 408 integrated in the portable solar powered vaccine refrigerator 1 for monitoring temperature during transportation of the vaccines and related products, and further comprising a temperature sensing features 18, 408; transmitter 403; receiver 409 and computing system 401 interfaced to the receiver and an alert mechanism 405. The temperature sensing device has an internal and external temperature sensing components or elements 502B that communicates with the microcontroller 501 and smart sensors 502A of Fig. 5 characterized in that the internal temperature sensing components are situated in a liquid mass for measuring a vaccine temperature within the refrigeration and the external temperature sensing components are exposed to ambient air within the refrigeration box 1, and are designed for measuring an instantaneous temperature within the refrigeration unit. They are connected with PCB assembly 402, mobile phone 407 and computing system 401 over the Internet or other communications networks 404, wherein the said components are designed to exchange data and transmit information about internal and external temperature of the fridge in real-time through Bluetooth, WIFI and GSM. Still on Fig. 4, the fridge has a computing system 401 comprising a transmitter 403 which is operatively coupled to the temperature sensor 18, 408 and periodically transmits the vaccine and ambient temperatures aided by mobile application and a web-based platform to monitored temperature in real time during transportation of vaccines among other things. It has a receiver 409 that is placed outside portable solar powered refrigerator 1 and is adapted to receive and understand the vaccine temperature and the ambient temperature of the portable solar powered fridge, comprising a stainless steel exterior body 1A; a fiberglass interior 16 enclosed in the exterior body; a telescopic handle 11 fixed on the lid 2; an inbuilt battery storage; PCB assembly 402 and mobile application of Fig.4. The computing system 401 has a software and PCB assembly 402 mounted inside the accessory panel using mounting bushes to isolate it from the stainless steel to control all operations of the fridge 1 and designed to transmit temperature, voltage, door status and location in real-time through Bluetooth, WIFI and GSM, and also send warning alerts 405 characterized in that the said system is interfaced to the receiver 409 and has a software that determines and / or predicts a fault with the refrigeration by comparing the vaccine and the ambient temperatures with historical values of the vaccine temperature and the ambient temperature; and upon determination and / or prediction of the vaccine fault, the said computing system 401 sends an alert to a remote device indicating the refrigeration and the fault. Yet in another embodiment the invention teaches of a portable vaccine refrigerator 1 having a computing system that means for monitoring and reporting internal vaccine refrigeration temperatures, comprising a temperature measuring device for placement within a vaccine refrigeration, means for transmitting the temperature, means for receiving temperature, means for determining and predicting a fault to the refrigeration and means for sending an alert. The software in the refrigerator system is coded to monitor on / off cycling patterns of a compressor of the refrigeration box to determine that a door 7 of Fig. 3 to the refrigeration is open and has remained closed for a period of time, indicating that no inspection of the refrigeration unit has been made. Referring to Fig.4 illustrates a data connection diagram of the computing system for temperature monitoring and alerting. In this example, one or more remote devices such as cell phones 407 communicate through the cellular network 203 and / or through a wide area network 404 (e.g. the Internet) to a server computer 401. The server computer 401 that is external to the PCB 402 refrigeration unit has access to data storage for storing various data and alert mechanism 405, including historical temperature readings, etc. Although one path between the remote devices or cell phones 407 and the server 401 is through the cellular network and the wide area network 404 that communicates with the transmitter 403 as shown in Fig.4. For example, the Wi-Fi transceiver 409 of the remote devices or cell phone 407 is used to communicate directly with the wide area network 404, which includes the Internet, and, consequently, with the server computer 401. The server computer 401 transacts with the remote devices or cell phones 407 through the network(s) 404 to present menus to / on the remote devices or cell phones 407, provide data to the remote devices or cell phones 407, and to communicate information such as alerts to the remote devices or cell phones 407. The server computer 401 transacts with applications running on the remote devices or cell phones 109 and / or with standardized applications (e.g., browsers) running on the user's remote devices or cell phones 407. The system for temperature monitoring and alerting includes at least one temperature measuring sensor device 18, 404 located within the refrigeration unit 1 as taught in Fig. 3. When the temperature measuring devices are battery- powered, they transmit messages to either a bridge unit that is external to the refrigeration unit 1 or directly to the server 401 that is also external to the refrigeration unit 1 through a wireless local area network or through the cellular network 404, in some embodiments through encrypted RF transmissions. As power consumption of the temperature sensor / measuring devices 18 is important, less power is required to communicate in a one-way, transmit only system with a bridge unit, though it is equally anticipated that the temperature measuring devices 18, 408 communicate directly with the cellular network 407 or wide area network 404 through any wireless protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc., either one-way or bi-directional transmission. In one embodiment, the system for temperature monitoring and alerting records temperature data transmitted from a plurality of temperature measuring devices 102 via a wide area network 205 such as the internet to a server 201. In another embodiment according to Fig. 5, the invention teaches of architectures of physical process 500 of smart temperature sensor systems 502A. In smart temperature sensors 502A, the sensing elements 502B and sensor-interface electronics 503A and 503B are combined in a single chip. This combination can be very favorable in terms of standardization of the output signal, accuracy, reliability, possibility of overall calibration, etc. Such temperature sensors 502A can function in the important intermediate temperature range of 500C to 1800C, with high accuracy and high reliability. The sensor chips can be delivered in a wide variety of packages. Using a metal encapsulation offers the advantage of hermetical sealing, which is good for the long-term. Further, Fig. 5 demonstrates a possible physical process 500 of the system setup with a microcontroller 501, some smart temperature sensors 502A and discrete temperature-sensing elements 502B with separated sensor interfaces 503 stability. Moreover, because of the high thermal conductivity of the encapsulation, there can still be a good thermal interaction between the chip and its thermal environment. Sometimes, for temperature sensors 18 it is undesirable to combine electronics and sensing elements 502B. For instance, when a very wide temperature range is required, or when there are extreme requirements for stability or packaging. In such a case a smart sensor system 502A could be designed, which consists of a discrete sensing element 502B, a sensor interface 503A, 503B, and a microcontroller 501as depicted in the right-hand side of Fig. 5 In another preferred embodiment according to Fig. 6, the present invention introduces a novel method for determining and predicting a fault in a portable solar powered vaccine refrigerator, the method comprising steps of: a. reading a vaccine temperature from an internal temperature sensing component located in a liquid mass within the refrigerator at step 601; b. reading an instantaneous temperature from an external temperature sensing component within the vaccine refrigerator at step 602; c. predicting the fault with the refrigerator by comparing the vaccine temperature and the instantaneous temperature with historical values of the vaccine temperature and the instantaneous temperature at step 603; d. determining the fault with the vaccine refrigerator by comparing the vaccine temperature and the instantaneous temperature with historical values of the vaccine temperature and the instantaneous temperature at step 604, and e. sending an alert to a remote device responsive to the step of determining and predicting the fault after the fault is determined and predicted at step 605. In the said method, the solid or liquid mass comprises glass beads, preferably propylene glycol or soda-lime glass beads, the external temperature sensing component is interfaced to ambient air within the refrigeration unit, the method further comprising a step of determining if a door to the refrigeration unit is open by monitoring on / off cycling patterns of a compressor of the refrigeration unit. The method further includes a step of emitting an alert message to a user device responsive to determining if the door to the refrigeration unit being open. It also avails a step of determining if a door to the refrigeration unit is open by monitoring on / off cycling patterns of a compressor of the refrigeration unit and if the door is not opened within a predetermined amount of time, indicating that no inspection of the refrigeration unit has been made. Advantages of the Fridge The portable solar powered fridge that can be used in the following ways. In situ placement in a health facility. It can be permanently placed in the facility where movement of the fridge is not required. The foldable solar panel can be unfolded and placed outside in the sun, making use of the 5 metre cable supplied with the solar panel. Alternatively, if grid power is available, the fridge can be connected to a socket to charge the battery and run the fridge. This is done with the supplied AC cable. Moving medications from one area of the health facility to another, for example, from the medications store to the vaccination area. In this case, the fridge can be pulled using the telescopic handle and dragged using its wheels. The same method of movement can be achieved in the field as the fridge is fitted with rugged wheels that can function outdoors on rough terrain. The fridge can be used to transport vaccines and other medications between health facilities, for example, when the dispensary needs to collect new stock of vaccines and medications from a level 4 facility. In this case, several modes of transportation can be used such as a car, motorbike, bicycle or even a boat. The fridge can be lifted using its side handles and secured on a motorbike or bicycle. The solar panel is foldable which makes it convenient for carrying. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Various changes and modifications can, of course, be made, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION The present invention applies to the refrigeration industry. It introduces a novel portable solar powered vaccine fridge that can be used in situ placement in a health facility. The said fridge can be permanently placed in the facility where movement of the fridge is not required. The foldable solar panel can be unfolded and placed outside in the sun, making use of the 5 metre cable supplied with the solar panel. Alternatively, if grid power is available, the fridge can be connected to a socket to charge the battery and run the fridge using AC cable. It can also be used in moving medications from one area of the health facility to another, for example, from the medications store to the vaccination area. The fridge can be used to transport vaccines and other medications between health facilities, for example, when the dispensary needs to collect new stock of vaccines and medications from a level 4 facility. In field vaccinations, the fridge can be used where there is no power source as it can run on battery power for at least 12 hours. It can be wheeled from house to house in the case of door to door vaccination programs or placed in a central location where the vaccination exercise is taking place. In areas that experience extreme climatic conditions such as flooding, the fridge can be placed on a boat to transport medical items to the desired location.

Claims

1 CLAIMS 1. A portable solar powered vaccine refrigerator, comprising: a stainless steel exterior body; a fiberglass interior enclosed in the exterior body; a telescopic handle fixed on the lid, and an inbuilt battery storage, solar and alternating current charging port.

2. The portable vaccine refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the stainless steel exterior body is of rectangular shape, and further comprising at least two layers of cover panels with an accessory panel cover with louvres or ventilators to enhance airflow in the accessory panel as well as cutouts for a cooling fan, chest door or lid designed in such a way that when closed, there are no protruding edges, shapes except on the wheels, three dimensional slot extruding from the top of the fridge body lid and flash side handles installed on the side for use when lifting or carrying the fridge.

3. The portable vaccine refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the exterior body further comprises a pair of wheels on the right side as well as two rubber foot stands at the bottom of the fridge to help level the fridge and limit unnecessary movement when the fridge is parked, hinges for the chest door, an on / off switch to power the fridge and a key slot for the lock that secures the lid when closed, a vent to enable airflow to the fridge condenser or compressor and accessory panel, Anderson plug connection which is used to connect to a solar panel as well as an alternating current plug to connect to grid power and a liquid crystal display screen that displays information about the operation of the fridge, mounted on the left section of the front face.

4. The portable vaccine refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the lid assembly further comprises a top panel assembly made of about 1.0 mm thick 304 stainless steel, lid bottom assembly made of fiberglass and a gasket crafted to seal the fridge once it is closed, an outer lid assembly made of about 1.0 mm thick 304 stainless steel, a hinge assembly further comprising stainless steel hinges and lid gasket made of soft polyvinyl chloride material joined to the lid bottom assembly and technically designed to seal the fridge lid to reduce heat loss and moisture ingress.

5. The portable vaccine refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the lid further has a cover assembly, further comprising an accessory panel cover, panel lock and liquid crystal display2 wherein the liquid crystal display is mounted and cutout for effective lid panel lock; a front cover assembly which has a front cover that is made of about 1.0 mm thick 304 stainless steel.

6. The portable vaccine refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the fiberglass interior further comprising a freezing compartment and phase change material packs or ice packs designed in such a way that the interior of the fridge further comprises two levels; a lower level of the lid on the right and an upper level on the left side of the body with hinge assembly.

7. The portable vaccine refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the fridge further comprises a telescopic handle does not protrude beyond the wheel and is crafted to leave adequate space for the fridge lid to open as wide as 90-degree angle, and an inbuilt battery storage, a solar and AC charging port with an automatic changeover and selection of power source.

8. A portable solar powered vaccine fridge, comprising a stainless steel exterior body, fiberglass interior enclosed in the exterior body, telescopic handle fixed on the lid, inbuilt battery storage, printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, temperature sensing device and computing system.

9. The portable vaccine refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein PCB assembly is connected to temperature sensing device, LCD screen, door switch, compressor, battery assembly, DC input from solar’ DC input from AC / DC converter, on / off switch, two cooling fans, Sim Card, memory card and LED light in the interior of the fridge, characterized in that the said devices further comprises features designed to sense and transmit the status of temperature, voltage, door and location in real-time through Bluetooth, WIFI and GSM, and send warning alerts; 10. The portable vaccine refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein PCB assembly is mounted inside the accessory panel using mounting bushes to isolate it from the stainless steel and controls all operations of the fridge characterized in that: modules within the assembly have a plurality of modules comprising a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm module for battery charging via solar panel; GSM module for mobile Internet, SMS service and location of the fridge; WIFI module and Bluetooth module that connect to mobile app, memory card holder, processor, RAM, data storage, ROM, voltage stabilizer, buzzer that sounds an audible alarm when there is a fault with the fridge; the assembly is designed to read information from all components connected to it and relays said information to the web platform and mobile application through an Internet connection either via mobile internet or Wi-Fi, and is capable of sending information to the screen for display and detects location data through the GSM module embedded in the PCB.3 11. The portable vaccine refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the temperature sensing device is integrated in portable solar powered vaccine refrigerator for transporting vaccines and related products, and further comprising a temperature sensing features; transmitter; receiver and computing system interfaced to the receiver and an alert mechanism.

12. The portable vaccine refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the temperature sensing components further comprises an internal and external temperature sensing components characterized in that the internal temperature sensing components are situated in a liquid mass for measuring a vaccine temperature within the refrigeration and the external temperature sensing components are exposed to ambient air within the refrigeration box, and are designed for measuring an instantaneous temperature within the refrigeration unit.

13. The portable vaccine refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein the temperature sensing components are connected with PCB assembly, mobile phone and computing system over the Internet or other communications networks, wherein the said components are designed to exchange data and transmit information about internal and external temperature of the fridge in real-time through Bluetooth, WIFI and GSM.

14. The portable vaccine refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein: the transmitter is operatively coupled to the temperature sensor and periodically transmits the vaccine and ambient temperatures, and the receiver is placed outside portable solar powered refrigerator and is adapted to receive and understand the vaccine temperature and the ambient temperature of the portable solar powered fridge.

15. The portable vaccine refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the computing system further comprises a software and PCB assembly mounted inside the accessory panel using mounting bushes to isolate it from the stainless steel to control all operations of the fridge and designed to transmit the status of temperature, voltage, door status and location in real-time through Bluetooth, WIFI and GSM, and also send warning alerts characterized in that the said system is interfaced to the receiver and has a software that determines and / or predicts a fault with the refrigeration by comparing the vaccine and the ambient temperatures with historical values of the vaccine temperature and the ambient temperature.

16. The portable vaccine refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein the said computing system further comprises means for monitoring and reporting internal vaccine refrigeration temperatures, comprising:4 a smart temperature sensing system for placement within a vaccine refrigeration; means for transmitting the temperature; means for receiving temperature; means for determining and predicting a fault to the refrigeration, and means for sending an alert.

17. The portable vaccine refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein the software is coded to monitor on / off cycling patterns of a compressor of the refrigeration to determine that a door to the refrigeration is open and has remained closed for a period of time, indicating that no inspection of the refrigeration unit has been made.

18. The portable vaccine refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein the smart temperature sensor systems further comprises sensing elements and sensor-interface electronics combined in a single chip linked to a microcontroller and designed to standardize the output signal, accuracy, reliability, possibility of overall calibration.

19. A method for determining and predicting a fault in a portable solar powered vaccine refrigerator, the method comprising steps of: a. reading a vaccine temperature from an internal temperature sensing component located in a solid or liquid mass, wherein the solid mass comprises propylene glycol or soda-lime glass beads; b. reading an instantaneous temperature from an external temperature sensing component within the vaccine refrigerator; c. predicting the fault with the refrigerator by comparing the vaccine temperature and the instantaneous ambient temperature with historical values; d. determining the fault with the vaccine refrigerator by comparing the vaccine temperature and the instantaneous ambient temperature with historical values, and e. sending an alert to a remote device responsive to the step of predicting the fault and determining if a door to the refrigeration unit is open or closed by monitoring on / off cycling patterns of a compressor.

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