FR2847233A1 - Cold bag e.g. for transporting medication at low temperature has pouch of cold accumulating substance between two inner insulating layers - Google Patents

Abstract

The cold bag (1), made from a multi-layered material with an opening (3A) at one end fastened by interlocking plastic strips (7A, 7B) with a handle (5), has at least one supple pouch (17) containing a cold accumulating liquid inserted between two inner layers. The interlocking closure strips extend across the whole width of the bag's open end and are welded to the body of the bag, which is made from outer (11) and inner (13) layers of plastic film with an insulating layer (15) of an expanded cellular material between them.

Description

THERMAL COVER COMPRISING A BAG CONTAINING A

REFRIGERANT ACCUMULATOR

  The present invention relates to a thermal envelope made of flexible, multilayer, thermally insulating lamellar material, with an access mouth and means for closing said access mouth. A thermal envelope of this type is described by way of example in document DE-A-2853061. In this envelope of known type, there are provided handles formed by two elements of substantially rigid synthetic material, welded along the edges of the mouth of the envelope. The handles are fitted with male and female embedding elements, with rivets on one side and embedding holes on the other to close the mouth of the casing. Below the closure rivets, towards the inside of the bag, is a subsequent closure made up of a pair of strips of zipper closures made of textile material, known under the name of "Velcro", to obtain a closure.

complete from the mouth.

  This known thermal envelope is particularly expensive both because of the presence of handles made of rigid material and because of the presence of a zipper closure. In reality, the thermal envelopes currently available on the market are on the whole similar to those of the abovementioned publication, but do not include the zipper closure, probably for reasons of cost. In any event, commercial thermal envelopes are relatively expensive, especially if we consider that they are often intended for a single use or for a limited number of uses. In addition, the absence (for reasons of savings) of the zipper closure makes the closure particularly ineffective, since it is only ensured by the only pressure rivets which are distributed discontinuously (in principle two or four) along the mouth. In addition, inside the envelope the temperature is not maintained at sufficiently low levels for certain types of applications, in particular for the transport of medicaments which must be kept relatively

for a long time at low temperatures.

  The object of the present invention is to produce a thermal envelope with reduced costs, while nevertheless providing adequate insulation with thermal insulation properties equal to, or even superior to, that of the thermal envelopes currently used and with means which also make it suitable for more demanding applications, in this case better efficiency in terms of keeping the cold, for example for

transportation of medicines.

  These and other goals and advantages which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading

  the description below, are achieved in substance thanks to

  a thermal envelope comprising a body made of lamellar, flexible, multilayer, thermally insulating material, with an access opening, envelope in which said closure means comprise a pair of complementary profiled elements made of suitable plastic material capable of being coupled to reversibly by embedding one inside the other and extending longitudinally along the access mouth of the bag and in which between the layers defining the body of the envelope is introduced at least one container, preferably a flexible sachet, containing a substance capable of accumulating cold and maintaining the contents of the envelope

at low temperature.

  In a particular embodiment of the envelope according to the invention, the number of layers

  defining the body of the envelope is two.

  By coolant accumulator is meant here a material of the type known per se, which after having been introduced into a refrigerating cell for a sufficient time, reaches a low temperature, possibly by changing state, and which remains at low temperature for long periods after being removed from the refrigeration cell. Liquid can

  possibly also be in the form of gel.

  It may, for example, be monopropylene glycol.

  The envelope can be provided with a handle, produced for example by means of a strip of plastic material applied near the access mouth of the envelope and carrying one of the two profiled elements forming the closure at embedding. The other of said profiled elements can be produced using a second strip of plastic material applied to the opposite edge of

the mouth of the envelope.

  The longitudinal profiled elements for embedding form a so-called "minigrip" or mini-adhesive closure already known for containers of another type. The assembly obtained is extremely economical while being

  simultaneously efficient from a thermal point of view.

  The "minigrip" or mini-adhesive closure is more effective than traditional closures; in fact, if it is in particular a question of coupling profiled elements which extend over the entire mouth of the envelope, a substantially continuous closure is obtained, no longer discontinuous and by points, as was the case with traditional envelopes with a pressure rivet for closing. The coolant sachet contained inside the wall of the envelope maintains a low temperature for a

relatively long duration.

  The bands forming the closure can be applied advantageously by welding to the envelope; however, other types of attachment are also possible, for example by sewing or gluing. The handle (s) may also be produced by means of elements which are physically separate from the profiled elements which form the closure while preferably being, for reasons of cost, made in one piece with the said handles

profiled elements.

  The handles are therefore preferably applied to the inner surface of the envelope, mainly for aesthetic reasons when these consist of elements physically separated from the strips which form the closure profile of the mouth of the envelope. In addition, we can also consider applying these

  on the outside of the envelope.

  In a particular embodiment of the envelope according to the invention, said body of the envelope is formed by an exterior plastic film, by an interior plastic film and by a layer of thermally insulating material disposed between said exterior plastic film and said inner plastic film, said container being placed between said inner plastic film

  and said layer of thermally insulating material.

  In another embodiment of the envelope according to the invention, said layer of thermally insulating material is a layer of expanded synthetic material with cells. In yet another embodiment of the envelope according to the invention, one of said elements is formed by a strip of semi-rigid plastic material

also forming said handle.

  The drawing shows a possible embodiment of the invention. In the drawing: - Figure 1 is a perspective view, partially in section, of the envelope according to the invention; and - Figures 2 and 3 are cross sections along

II-II and III-III of figure 1.

  The thermal envelope, generically designated by the reference 1, has a body defined by a bag-shaped portion 3 provided with a handle 5. The handle consists of a strip of semi-rigid plastic material, applied along the 'A mouth 3A of the envelope, cut to provide therein an elongated gripping window. The application of the strip forming the handle on the envelope can advantageously be carried out by welding on the internal surface of the

portion of bag 3 of envelope 1.

  Along the mouth 3A of the bag-shaped portion are applied two profiled elements 7A, 7B which extend substantially over the entire length of the mouth 3A. The two profiled elements 7A and 7B are complementary to each other; in fact, they have ribs and depressions which fit into one another. The elasticity of the plastic material in which the two profiled elements 7A, 7B are made makes the coupling reversible, this being carried out in a simple manner by juxtaposing and aligning the profiled elements

  and then exerting pressure on them.

  In the example illustrated, the profiled element 7B is produced from the same strip of plastic material as that which forms the handle 5 while the profiled element 7A is formed from a strip of plastic material applied, advantageously , by welding, along the opposite edge

from mouth 3A.

  The bag-shaped portion 3 of the envelope 1 has, in the example illustrated, a structure formed by two outer and inner plastic films 11, 13 of relatively reduced thickness and by a sheet of intermediate insulating material 15, by example an expanded material, such as expanded polyethylene with closed cells or the like, of appropriate thickness. In a manner known per se, the outer plastic film 1 may for example be metallized on the outside and / or on the inside to obtain a better thermal insulation effect. In general, the bag-shaped portion 3 of the envelope 1 can have any structure or conformation known to man.

art.

  Between the inner film 13 and the layer of intermediate insulating material 15, a volume is formed inside which is housed a sachet 15 containing a liquid capable of absorbing heat and of maintaining a low

  temperature for storage of the contents of the envelope.

  The bag 15 may contain a liquid or a gel which, if necessary, may change state, for example become solid when placed in a freezer or

other type of refrigeration machine.

Claims (9)

  1. Thermal envelope (1) comprising a body made of flexible, multilayer, thermally insulating lamellar material, with an access opening (3A) and means for closing said opening, in which said closing means comprise a pair of complementary profiled elements (7A, 7B) made of suitable plastic material, capable of being coupled in a reversible manner by embedding one inside the other and extending longitudinally along the access mouth (3A) of the bag ( 3) and into which between two layers defining the body of the envelope is introduced at least one container (17) containing a substance capable of accumulating cold and   keep the contents of the envelope at low temperature.   2. Envelope according to claim 1, comprising at least one handle (5).   3. Envelope according to claim 1 or 2, in   which said container (17) is a flexible bag.   4. Envelope according to claim 1, 2 or 3 in   wherein said substance is a liquid.   5. Thermal envelope according to one or more of   previous claims, wherein said elements   closure profiles (7A, 7B) extend substantially over   the entire length of the access mouth (3A).   6. Thermal envelope according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said complementary profiled elements (7A, 7B) are applied to the body of the envelope (1) at by means of a weld.   7. Thermal envelope according to one or more of   previous claims, wherein said body of   the envelope (1) is formed by an exterior plastic film, by an interior plastic film (13) and by a layer of thermally insulating material (15) disposed between said exterior plastic film (11) and said interior plastic film (13) , said container being placed between said inner plastic film (13) and said layer of material thermally insulating (15).   8. The thermal envelope of claim 7, wherein said layer of thermally insulating material (15) is a layer of expanded synthetic material. with cells.   9. Thermal envelope according to at least claim 2, in which one (7B) of said profiled elements is formed by a strip of semi-plastic material.   rigid also forming said handle (5).