# US 10,368,566 B2 · Device for controlling the temperature of products to be frozen

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- Number: US 10,368,566 B2
- Document ID: US10368566B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/154,201
- Filed: 2016-05-13
- Published: 2016-09-01
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2007-08-28
- Assignees: Arzneimittel GmbH Apotheker Vetter & Co. Ravensburg
- Applicants: Arzneimittel GmbH Apotheker Vetter & Co. Ravensburg
- Inventors: Benjamin Boebst; Frank Boettger
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10368566B2

## CPC

- A23B 2/805: {Materials not being transported through or in the apparatus with or without shaping, e.g. in the form of powders, granules or flakes}
- A23B 2/92: Freeze drying
- F25B 21/02: using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
- F26B 5/06: the process involving freezing
- A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
- A23B: PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
- F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F26B: DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM (drying devices for combines A01D41/133; racks for drying fruit or vegetables A01F25/12; drying foodstuffs A23; drying hair A45D20/00; body-drying implements A47K10/00; drying household articles A47L; drying gases or vapours B01D; chemical or physical processes for dewatering or like separating liquids from solids B01D43/00; centrifugal apparatus B04; drying ceramics C04B33/30; drying yarns or fabrics in association with some other form of treatment D06C; drying frames for laundry without heating or positive air circulation, domestic laundry-or spin-driers, wringing or hot pressing laundry D06F; furnaces, kilns, ovens F27)
- A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION

## Abstract

The invention proposes a device (1) for controlling the temperature of products to be frozen during a freeze drying process. This device (1) is characterized in that at least one Peltier element (3) is present.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for controlling a temperature of products to be frozen during a freeze drying process, the method comprising:
providing a cooling device including at least one magazine having different areas for accommodating products to be frozen, a plurality of Peltier elements associated with the at least one magazine, and separate actuating elements that actuate the plurality of Peltier elements; and
independently controlling the actuating elements such that the different areas of the at least one magazine are maintainable at different cold temperatures by the plurality of Peltier elements during a dry freezing process.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein;
the cooling device further includes a metal plate;
a placement surface of the at least one magazine rests on the metal plate; and
the method further comprises conducting cold generated by the plurality of Peltier elements via the placement surface of the at least one magazine to the product to be frozen during the freeze drying process.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein:
the cooling device further includes a control unit that measures temperatures of at least one of the products to be frozen; and
the method further comprises controlling the actuating elements in response to the measured temperatures to adjust current supplied to the Peltier elements as a function of the measured temperatures.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising adjusting a magnitude of the current supplied to the Peltier elements as a function of the measured temperatures.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising adjusting a polarity of the current supplied to the Peltier elements as a function of the measured temperatures.

### Claim 6

A method for controlling a temperature of a product to be frozen during a freeze drying process, the method comprising:
placing the product in a plurality of receptacles in a magazine, wherein the magazine is in a thermally conductive relationship with a plurality of Peltier elements; and
independently controlling current supplied to the plurality of Peltier elements to maintain different regions of the magazine at different temperatures while freeze drying the product.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 further comprising independently controlling the current supplied to the plurality of Peltier elements to maintain the different regions of the magazine at different freezing temperatures while freeze drying the product.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 further comprising:
measuring a temperature of at least one of the product to be frozen, the magazine, and a placement surface of the at least one magazine that rests on the plurality of Peltier elements; and
controlling the current supplied to the plurality of Peltier elements based on the measured temperature.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 further comprising controlling both a magnitude of the current and a polarity of the current based on the measured temperature.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 further comprising:
measuring a temperature of the product to be frozen;
measuring a temperature of the magazine;
measuring a temperature of a placement surface of the magazine that rests on the plurality of Peltier elements; and
controlling the current supplied to the plurality of Peltier elements based on the measured temperatures.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 further comprising independently controlling the current supplied to the plurality of Peltier elements using a plurality of actuating elements.

### Claim 12 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein one of the plurality of Peltier elements is associated with a plurality of the receptacles.

### Claim 13 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein each of the plurality of Peltier elements is associated with only one of the plurality of the receptacles.

### Claim 14

A method for controlling a temperature of a pharmaceutical solution to be frozen during a freeze drying process, the method comprising:
placing pharmaceutical containers containing the pharmaceutical solution in a plurality of receptacles in a magazine, wherein the magazine is in a thermally conductive relationship with a plurality of Peltier elements; and
independently controlling current supplied to the plurality of Peltier elements to maintain different regions of the magazine at different temperatures while freeze drying the pharmaceutical solutions.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 further comprising independently controlling the current supplied to the plurality of Peltier elements to subject the different regions of the magazine to different temperature progressions while freeze drying the pharmaceutical solution.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 further comprising independently controlling the current supplied to the plurality of Peltier elements to subject the different regions of the magazine to different temperature progressions during a single freeze drying process.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 further comprising independently controlling the current supplied to the plurality of Peltier elements to maintain the different regions of the magazine at different freezing temperatures.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 further comprising:
measuring a temperature of at least one of the pharmaceutical solution, the magazine, and a placement surface of the magazine that rests on the plurality of Peltier elements; and
controlling the current supplied to the plurality of Peltier elements based on the measured temperature.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 further comprising controlling the current supplied to one of the plurality of Peltier elements to adjust a temperature of multiple ones of the receptacles.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 further comprising controlling the current supplied to each of the plurality of Peltier elements to adjust a temperature of only one of the receptacles.