Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
THERMALLY INSULATED LIVESTOCK MEDICATION CONTAINER
[001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[002] The present invention relates to thermally insulated containers and,
more
particularly, thermally insulated containers for carrying and dispensing
medications
for livestock.
[003] In managing a herd of livestock, such as cows, goats, pigs, chickens,
and the
like, it is often necessary to administer medications to the livestock for
prophylactic
purposes or in response to a disease condition exhibited by the animals. These
medications typically must be maintained within a temperature controlled
environment to prevent spoilage of the medication or to ensure that the
medication
may be delivered to the livestock.
[004] The medications are typically administered by a medication delivery
device.
However, presently in the art, there is no way of conveniently storing the
medication
delivery device while not actively administering the medication to the
livestock.
Similarly, once the medication delivery device has been charged with a
medication,
there is no way to maintain the medication within the delivery device in a
thermally
protected environment.
[005] As can be seen, there is a need for an improved thermally insulated
livestock
medication container.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[006] In one aspect of the present invention, a livestock medication
container,
includes a thermally insulated body having a plurality of upstanding
sidewalls, a
bottom wall interconnecting the plurality of upstanding sidewalls to define an
interior cavity, and a top opening. A top lid movably attached to at least one
of the
plurality of upstanding sidewalls. The top lid is configured to close the top
opening
in a closed position. One or more apertures extend through the top lid and are
configured to receive a dispensing end of a livestock medication dispenser.
One
or more dividers are removably received within the interior cavity, to define
a
plurality of interior compartments. The top lid may divided between a first
lid
portion covering a first portion of the top opening and a second lid portion
covering
a second portion of the top opening. The first lid portion covers at least one
of the
plurality of interior compartments, while the second lid portion covers at
least
another of the plurality of interior compartments.
[007] A first flange extends from an interior edge the first lid portion
and a second
flange extends from an interior edge of the second lid portion. The first
flange and
the second flange cooperatively engage one another to seal the top opening
across a transverse aspect of the thermally insulated body. Preferably, the
first
flange overlies the second flange to prevent opening of the second lid portion
without opening the first lid portion.
[008] In a preferred embodiment, the apertures are defined in the second
lid
portion. A containment bin may be carried within the interior cavity and
positioned
beneath the one or more apertures.
[009] At least one of the plurality of interior compartments is configured
to receive
a livestock medication vial. At least one of the plurality of interior
compartments is
configured to receive a thermally active package, which may be a cold pack, or
a
heat pack.
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[010] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present
invention
will become better understood with reference to the following drawings,
description
and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[011] Fig. 1 is a top front perspective view of an embodiment of a
livestock
vaccination cooler;
[012] Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the livestock vaccination cooler;
[013] Fig. 3 is a rear elevation view of the livestock vaccination cooler;
[014] Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the livestock vaccination cooler;
[015] Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the livestock vaccination cooler;
[016] Fig. 6 is a right side elevation view of the livestock vaccination
cooler;
[017] Fig. 7 is a left side elevation view of the livestock vaccination
cooler;
[018] Fig. 8 is a top front perspective view of the livestock vaccination
cooler,
shown with both lids open;
[019] Fig. 9 is a top front perspective view of an embodiment of a
livestock
vaccination cooler holding a livestock medication dispenser;
[020] Fig. 10 is a front elevation view of the livestock vaccination cooler
holding a
livestock medication dispenser;
[021] Fig. 11 is a rear elevation view of the livestock vaccination cooler
holding a
livestock medication dispenser;
[022] Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the livestock vaccination cooler
holding a
livestock medication dispenser;
[023] Fig. 13 is a bottom plan view of the livestock vaccination cooler
holding a
shown livestock medication dispenser;
[024] Fig. 14 is a right side elevation view of the livestock vaccination
cooler
holding a livestock medication dispenser;
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[025] Fig. 15 is a left side elevation view of the livestock vaccination
cooler shown
holding a livestock medication dispenser; and
[026] Fig. 16 is a top front perspective view of an embodiment of a
livestock
vaccination cooler in an open condition shown holding a livestock medication
dispenser.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[027] The following detailed description is of the best currently
contemplated
modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description
is
not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of
illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the
invention
is best defined by the appended claims.
[028] Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides an improved
livestock medication container having one or more apertures in a top lid of
the
container that are configured to receive a dispensing end of a livestock
medication
dispenser. The livestock medication dispenser 36 may include any type of
medication delivery tip, including a subcutaneous injection needle, an oral
administration tube, a topical applicator, a spray tip applicator, and the
like that is
carried on a delivery end of the livestock medication dispenser.
[029] The livestock medication container 10 is formed by a thermally
insulated
body having a plurality of upstanding sidewalls 12 and a bottom wall 14
interconnecting the plurality of upstanding sidewalls 12 to define an interior
cavity
16 and atop opening 18.
[030] A top lid 20 may be movably attached to at least one of the plurality
of
upstanding sidewalls 12 and is movable between an open position and a closed
position, such as by a hinge 1 5. The top lid 20 is configured to sealingly
close the
top opening 18 of the container when the top lid 20 is a closed position. One
or
more apertures 22 extend through the top lid 20. The one or more apertures 22
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are configured to receive a dispensing end of a livestock medication dispenser
36
such that the delivery tip 37 may be received within an interior cavity 16 of
the
container 10. The sidewalls 12 may have lateral extensions for a handle 38, or
handhold portion for carrying of the container.
[031] The top lid 20 may include a first lid portion 24 covering a first
portion of the
top opening 18 and a second lid portion 26 covering a second portion of the
top
opening 18. The split top configuration permits one person to be mixing
livestock
medications while the another person may utilize the medication dispenser to
administer one or more medications to the livestock. The top lid 20 may also
include one or more latching devices 27 extending between the top lid 20 and
at
least one of the sidewalls 12. The one or more latching devices 27 are
operable to
secure the top lid 20 in the closed position.
[032] One or more dividers 24 are removably received within the interior
cavity 16
and define a plurality of compartments 28 within the thermally insulated body.
The
dividers 24 may include one or more panels that cooperatively engage with a
channel defined in a surface of the interior cavity 16. The one or more
dividers 24
may also include a bin, a tray or other receptacle. At least one of the
plurality of
compartments 28 are configured to receive a livestock medication vial or other
medication packaging. Additional medication administration supplies, such as
gloves, antiseptics, cleansing agents, record logs, writing implements may
also be
carried in the plurality of compartments 28. The segregation of medications
provided by the compartments 28 reduces the chance of a medication being
contaminated/cross contaminated, while keeping the needles and other
medication
administration supplies conveniently located.
[033] Typically the livestock medication should be maintained at a
controlled
temperature environment to avoid spoilage of the medication or ensure the
deliverability of the medication. For example, during warm environmental
conditions, a cold pack may be placed within one of the compartments 28 to
maintain the medication vials and delivery end of the dispenser chilled to
prevent
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spoilage of the medication. In winter conditions, a heat pack may be carried
within
one of the compartments 28 to prevent freezing of the medication. The cold
pack
may be on of a chemically reactive composition, a frozen composition, or an
electrically activated device. The heat pack may be one of an exothermic
reactive
composition, a heated composition, or an electrically activated heating
element.
The aperture 22 is preferably configured to permit the delivery tip 37 and at
least a
portion of the delivery device 36 so that the medication within the delivery
device
36 may be thermally controlled while not being actively utilized to administer
the
medication to the livestock.
[034] The first lid portion 24 covers at least one of the plurality of
interior
compartments 26. Similarly, the second lid portion 26 covers at least one
other of
the plurality of interior compartments 28. A first flange 30 may extend from
an
interior edge the first lid portion 24 and a second flange 32 extending from
an
opposed interior edge of the second lid portion 26, such that the first flange
and
the second flange cooperatively engage one another to seal the top opening
across a transverse aspect of the thermally insulated body. The first flange
30
may overly the second flange 32 to prevent opening of the second lid portion
26
without opening the first lid portion 24. Preferably, the apertures 22 are
defined in
the second lid portion 26.
[035] A containment bin 28 may be positioned within the interior cavity 16
beneath the one or more apertures 22 to capture any dripping of the medication
from the dispenser 36. The containment bin 28 also serves to segregate any
medication vials and other supplies from the interior cavity 16 beneath the
apertures 22 to ensure that the tip 37 of the medication dispenser 36 is not
damaged when the dispenser is inserted into the apertures.
[036] It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to
exemplary
embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the
following
claims.
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