US-20260126244-A1 - TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE PRODUCTS CAPSULE CONTAINER

Abstract

A temperature sensitive products capsule container has one or more (e.g., two spaced apart) chambers to receive temperature sensitive products therein, and a lid to selectively close the one or more chambers to enclose the temperature sensitive products. The capsule container passively maintains the temperature sensitive products in a desired temperature range.

Inventors

• Clayton Alexander
• Daren John Leith
• Mikko Juhani Timperi
• Christopher Thomas Wakeham
• Joseph Lyle Koch
• Jacob William Emmert
• Rahul Mulinti
• James Shum Lau

Assignees

• EMBER LIFESCIENCES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20251229

Claims (19)

1. 1 . A temperature sensitive products capsule container, comprising: a container vessel having an outer wall that extends between a proximal end that has an opening and a distal end having a base, the opening selectively closed by a lid, the container vessel having a chamber sized to receive one or more temperature sensitive products, a chamber wall being spaced inward of an inner wall to define a gap between the chamber wall and the inner wall, the gap filled with a phase change material; and a temperature control system comprising: one or more thermoelectric elements configured to heat or cool at least a portion of the chamber, a heat sink in thermal communication with one side of the one or more thermoelectric elements and in thermal communication with the phase change material, one or more power storage elements, and circuitry configured to control the one or more thermoelectric elements to heat or cool at least the portion of the chamber to a predetermined temperature or temperature range, wherein the one or more thermoelectric elements are operable to heat or cool the phase change material which operates as a passive cooling source for the chamber and the temperature sensitive products.
2. 2 . The container of claim 1 , wherein a second heat sink is in thermal communication with an opposite side of the one or more thermoelectric elements.
3. 3 . The container of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface configured to display information indicative of a temperature in the chamber, an ambient temperature, or a charge level of the one or more power storage elements.
4. 4 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the chamber comprises two spaced apart chambers, each chamber configured to receive one temperature sensitive products.
5. 5 . The container of claim 2 , wherein one or more fans are operable to draw air through one or more air intake vents, to flow said air over the second heat sink to dissipate heat from the second heat sink, and to then flow said air through one or more exhaust vents.
6. 6 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the chamber wall is cylindrical.
7. 7 . The container of claim 1 , further comprising a power base configured to receive the container vessel thereon and to provide power to the one or more thermoelectric elements or one or more power storage elements via inductive coupling.
8. 8 . A temperature sensitive products capsule container, comprising: a container vessel having an outer wall that extends between a proximal end that has an opening and a distal end having a base, the opening selectively closed by a lid, the container vessel having a chamber sized to receive one or more temperature sensitive products, a chamber wall being spaced inward of an inner wall to define a gap between the chamber wall and the inner wall, the gap filled with a phase change material; and a temperature control system comprising: one or more thermoelectric elements configured to heat or cool at least a portion of the chamber, a heat sink in thermal communication with one side of the one or more thermoelectric elements and in thermal communication with the phase change material, one or more power storage elements, circuitry configured to control the one or more thermoelectric elements to heat or cool at least the portion of the chamber to a predetermined temperature or temperature range; and one or more sensors configured to sense one or more parameters of the chamber and to communicate the sensed parameters to the circuitry, wherein the one or more thermoelectric elements are operable to heat or cool the phase change material which operates as a passive cooling source for the chamber and the temperature sensitive products.
9. 9 . The container of claim 8 , wherein a second heat sink is in thermal communication with an opposite side of the one or more thermoelectric elements.
10. 10 . The container of claim 8 , further comprising a user interface configured to display information indicative of a temperature in the chamber, an ambient temperature, or a charge level of the one or more power storage elements.
11. 11 . The container of claim 8 , wherein the chamber comprises two spaced apart chambers, each chamber configured to receive one temperature sensitive products.
12. 12 . The container of claim 8 , wherein the chamber wall is cylindrical.
13. 13 . The container of claim 8 , further comprising a power base configured to receive the container vessel thereon and to provide power to the one or more thermoelectric elements or one or more power storage elements via inductive coupling.
14. 14 . A temperature sensitive products capsule container, comprising: a container vessel having an outer wall that extends between a proximal end that has an opening and a distal end having a base, the opening selectively closed by a lid, the container vessel having a chamber sized to receive one or more temperature sensitive products, a chamber wall being spaced inward of an inner wall to define a gap between the chamber wall and the inner wall, the gap filled with a phase change material; and a temperature control system comprising: one or more thermoelectric elements, a heat sink in thermal communication with one side of the one or more thermoelectric elements and in thermal communication with the phase change material, one or more power storage elements, circuitry configured to control the one or more thermoelectric elements; and one or more sensors configured to sense one or more parameters of the chamber and to communicate the sensed parameters to the circuitry, wherein the one or more thermoelectric elements are operable to heat or cool the phase change material which operates as a passive cooling source for the chamber and the temperature sensitive products.
15. 15 . The container of claim 14 , further comprising a user interface configured to display information indicative of a temperature in the chamber, an ambient temperature, or a charge level of the one or more power storage elements.
16. 16 . The container of claim 14 , wherein the chamber comprises two spaced apart chambers, each chamber configured to receive one temperature sensitive products.
17. 17 . The container of claim 14 , further comprising one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) operable to selectively illuminate to indicate one or more operating functions of the container.
18. 18 . The container of claim 14 , wherein the chamber wall is cylindrical.
19. 19 . The container of claim 14 , further comprising a power base configured to receive the container vessel thereon and to provide power to the one or more thermoelectric elements or one or more power storage elements via inductive coupling.

Description

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO ANY PRIORITY APPLICATIONS Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57 and should be considered a part of this specification. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The invention is directed to a portable cooler (e.g., for medicine such as insulin, vaccines, epinephrine, etc.), and more particularly to a portable cooler with active temperature control. Description of the Related Art Certain medicine needs to be maintained at a certain temperature or temperature range to be effective (e.g., to maintain potency). Once potency of medicine (e.g., a vaccine, insulin, epinephrine) is lost, it cannot be restored, rendering the medicine ineffective and/or unusable. For example, injector pens are commonly used to deliver medication, such as epinephrine to counteract the effects of an allergic reaction (e.g., due to a peanut allergy, insect stings/bites, etc.). Users sometimes carry such medicine (e.g., medicine injector pens, cartridges for injector pens) with them (e.g., in a bag, purse, pocket, etc.) in the event they suffer an allergic reaction during the day. However, such medicine may be exposed to varying temperatures during the day (e.g., due to ambient temperature conditions, temperature conditions in the car, workplace, school, etc.), which can be outside the preferred temperature or temperature range for the medicine to be effective. SUMMARY Accordingly, there is a need for improved portable cooler designs (e.g., for storing and/or transporting medicine, such as epinephrine, vaccines, insulin, etc.) that can maintain the contents of the cooler at a desired temperature or temperature range. Additionally, there is a need for an improved portable cooler design with improved cold chain control and record keeping of the temperature history of the contents (e.g., medicine, such as epinephrine, vaccines, insulin, etc.) of the cooler (e.g., during storage and/or transport of the medicine, such as during a commute to work or school). In accordance with one aspect, a portable cooler container (e.g., capsule) with active temperature control system is provided. The active temperature control system is operated to heat or cool a chamber of a vessel to approach a temperature set point suitable for a medication (e.g., epinephrine, insulin, vaccines, etc.) stored in the cooler container. In accordance with another aspect, a portable cooler (or capsule) is provided that includes a temperature control system operable (e.g., automatically operable) to maintain the chamber of the cooler at a desired temperature or temperature range for a prolonged period of time. Optionally, the portable cooler is sized to house one or more containers (e.g., injector pens and/or cartridges for injector pens, vials, etc.). Optionally, the portable cooler automatically logs (e.g., stores on a memory of the cooler) and/or communicates data on one or more sensed parameters (e.g., of the temperature of the chamber, battery charge level, etc.) to a remote electronic device (e.g., remote computer, mobile electronic device such as a smartphone or tablet computer). Optionally, the portable cooler can automatically log and/or transmit the data to the remote electronic device (e.g., automatically in real time, periodically at set intervals, etc.). In accordance with another aspect, a portable cooler container (e.g., capsule) with active temperature control is provided. The container comprises a container body having a chamber configured to receive and hold one or more containers (e.g., injector pens, cartridges for injector pens, vials, etc.), the chamber defined by a base and an inner peripheral wall of the container body. The container also comprises a temperature control system comprising one or more thermoelectric elements (e.g., Peltier elements) configured to actively heat or cool a heat sink component in thermal communication (e.g., in contact with) the one or more containers (e.g., medicine containers) in the chamber, and circuitry configured to control an operation of the one or more thermoelectric elements to heat or cool at least a portion of the heat sink component and/or chamber to a predetermined temperature or temperature range. Optionally, the container can include one or more batteries configured to provide power to one or both of the circuitry and the one or more thermoelectric elements. Optionally, the circuitry is further configured to wirelessly communicate with a cloud-based data storage system (e.g., remote server) or a remote electronic device (e.g., smartphone, tablet computer, laptop computer, desktop computer). Optionally, the container includes a first heat sink in thermal communication with the chamber, the first sink being selectively thermally coupled to the one or more thermoelectric elements. Optionally, the first heat