# US 11,992,459 B2 · Devices, systems and methods for controlling environmental conditions of substances > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,992,459 B2 - Document ID: US11992459B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/778,110 - Filed: 2016-11-23 - Published: 2018-11-22 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2015-11-23 - Applicants: Ron Nagar - Inventors: Ron Nagar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992459B2 ## CPC - A61J 1/165: {Cooled holders, e.g. for medications, insulin, blood or plasma} - A61J 1/1468: {Containers characterised by specific material properties} - A61M 5/002: {Packages specially adapted therefor, e.g. packages for syringes or needles or kits for diabetics} - A61M 5/009: {Electronic or electro-mechanical add-on modules} - A61M 5/16804: {Active flow controllers} - A61M 5/24: Ampoule syringes, i.e. syringes with needle for use in combination with replaceable ampoules or cartridges, e.g. automatic - A61M 5/44: having means for cooling or heating the devices or media - F25D 3/08: portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally - F28D 20/02: using latent heat - F28D 20/028: {Control arrangements therefor} - A61J 2200/42: Heating means - A61J 2200/44: Cooling means - A61J 2200/50: Insulating means - A61J 2200/72: for temperature - A61M 5/142: Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps - A61M 5/445: {the media being heated in the reservoir, e.g. warming bloodbags} - A61M 2205/13: with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor - A61M 2205/3306: Optical measuring means - A61M 2205/3368: Temperature - A61M 2205/3375: Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means - A61M 2205/3561: local, e.g. within room or hospital - A61M 2205/3606: cooled - A61M 2205/3633: thermally insulated - A61M 2205/364: by chemical reaction - A61M 2205/3646: by heat accumulators, e.g. ice, sand - A61M 2205/3653: by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance - A61M 2205/502: User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards - A61M 2205/6045: having complementary physical shapes for indexing or registration purposes - A61M 2205/6054: Magnetic identification systems - A61M 2205/6063: Optical identification systems - A61M 2205/8206: battery-operated - F25D 2303/083: using cold storage material disposed in closed wall forming part of a container for products to be cooled - F25D 2400/36: Visual displays - Y02E 60/14: Thermal energy storage - A61J: CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract An apparatus, comprising an environmental control element configured to control at least one environmental condition of a substance contained within a chamber, the environmental control element includes a thermal insulator configured to provide a thermal shield to the substance and a phase change material (PCM) configured to thermally regulate at least one environmental condition. The environmental control element is configured to control the environmental condition without use of an external power source, and the PCM is configured to return to its solid phase without user intervention. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: an environmental control element configured to control at least one environmental condition of a substance, a substance chamber configured to contain the substance, wherein: the environmental control element includes a thermal insulator configured to provide a thermal shield for the substance, and a phase change material (PCM) configured to thermally regulate the at least one environmental condition; and a wall configured to surround the substance chamber and comprising a thermally conductive element, and being positioned at least partially in contact with the substance chamber and the PCM; wherein: the environmental control element is configured to control the at least one environmental condition without use of an external power source, the apparatus further comprises a control capacity indicator configured to display a remaining environmental condition control capability provided by the PCM, and the PCM is configured to change from a first phase to a second phase, and the displayed remaining environmental condition control capability is calculated based on a remaining amount of PCM in the first or second phase. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an enclosure shaped and sized so as to receive the substance chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a volume of the PCM exceeds a volume of the substance chamber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the thermal insulator comprises an insulating enclosure formed of two oppositely facing walls and an evacuated gap defined in between the walls. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the thermal insulator is formed of two mutually insertable inner and outer insulating enclosures. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the PCM is positioned intermediate the inner and outer insulating enclosures. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substance chamber is placed in a pump and the delivery of the substance is by infusion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control capacity indicator is configured to display a measure of time indicative of the remaining environmental condition control capability. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the PCM includes at least two types of PCMs each characterized by a different phase change temperature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the at least two types of PCMs are mixed together. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each type of PCM is in layer form and a first type of PCM layer overlies a second type of PCM layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a heating element configured to rapidly heat the substance. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the heating element is configured to rapidly heat the substance from a temperature in the range of about 2-8° C. to a temperature of around 25° C., within less than 60 seconds. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the heating element is configured to rapidly heat the substance from a low storage temperature to a higher use temperature. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the heating element is configured to rapidly heat the substance while not exceeding a maximal temperature efficacy limit of the substance. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein changes in a temperature of the substance temperature are used to quantify the amount of substance in the chamber. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A system according to claim 1 further comprising a touch wire configured to detect touching of the skin during dose delivery, thereby providing an additional signal indicative of dose delivery for distinguishing the dose delivery from the dose setting or dose priming. ### Claim 18 An apparatus comprising: an environmental control element configured to control at least one environmental condition of a substance, a substance chamber configured to contain the substance, wherein: the environmental control element includes a thermal insulator configured to provide a thermal shield for the substance, and a phase change material (PCM) configured to thermally regulate the at least one environmental condition; and a wall configured to surround the substance chamber and comprising a thermally conductive element, and being positioned at least partially in contact with the substance chamber and the PCM; wherein: the environmental control element is configured to control the at least one environmental condition without use of an external power source, the apparatus further comprises a control capacity indicator configured to display a remaining environmental condition control capability provided by the PCM, the the PCM is configured to change from a solid phase to a liquid phase, and the displayed remaining environmental condition control capability is calculated based on a remaining amount of PCM in the solid phase. ### Claim 19 An apparatus, comprising: an environmental control element configured to control at least one environmental condition of a substance; a substance chamber configured to contain the substance; wherein: the environmental control element includes a thermal insulator configured to provide a thermal shield for the substance, and a phase change material (PCM) configured to thermally regulate the at least one environmental condition; the substance chamber is surrounded by a wall, and the environmental control element is configured to control the at least one environmental condition without use of an external power source, a controller configured for calculating a remaining thermal control capacity of the apparatus; a memory device configured for storing information associated with said remaining thermal control capacity to be retrievable by said controller for said calculating; and a thermal capacity indicator configured to display the remaining thermal control capacity of the apparatus as calculated by the controller, thereby indicating the remaining thermal control capacity of the apparatus. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus according to claim 19, and wherein the indicator displays the time duration remaining until the PCM will transition from solid to liquid. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising: an ambient temperature sensor for detecting a change in the ambient temperature since a previous ambient temperature detection; a timer for detecting the time passed since the commencement of the operation of the environmental control element; and the memory device for retrieving a stored time duration indicating the amount of time it takes for raising the PCM of a volume of the PCM, to a selected temperature. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the indication of the remaining thermal control capacity of the apparatus is calculated further based on: determining for a volume of the PCM one or more time durations it takes for raising the PCM temperature of the PCM volume by one or more temperature differences, wherein each temperature difference is configured from a first temperature to a second temperature; storing the resultant one or more times durations in the memory device; during operation of the apparatus detecting a change in temperature by the sensor; retrieving from the memory device a stored time duration of the one or more time durations in accordance with the detected change in temperature; and subtracting from the retrieved time duration a measure of time that passed since the commencement of operation of the apparatus, thereby calculating a remaining time duration for the PCM volume to be raised to the selected temperature, said remaining time duration being at least partially said indication of the remaining thermal control capacity.