Individual containers for use in medical pad warming units

Abstract

The present invention is directed towards insulated, portable containers designed to for use with a medical pad warming unit; particularly towards containers able to readily dispense individual medical pads, and most particularly toward portable containers which includes a heating system able to provide thermal energy to the portable containers when remotely located from the medical pad warming unit.

1 . A portable container adapted to store and dispense medical pads housed therein, said portable container capable of being stored within a medical warming pad holding system, said container comprising: 
 a body defined by a first end, a second end in spaced apart relation along a longitudinal axis thereof, and at least two pairs of opposing sidewall panels, each of said sidewall panels being integrally attached to a bottom panel at said second end, thereby defining an interior cavity, said interior cavity constructed and arranged to accept at least one medical pad therein;    a lid attached to said body for movement between; 
 (1) a first position at which said lid provides at least partial access to said interior cavity of said container in order that additional medical pads may be placed within said interior cavity; and  
 (2) a second position at which said lid substantially covers said interior cavity;  
   an opening being constructed and arranged to allow passage of at least one of said medical pads enclosed within said interior cavity to a location whereby at least a portion of said medical pads extend outside said interior cavity, said opening located between either said lid and one of said sidewalls, or one of said sidewalls and said bottom panel;    an actuator disposed proximate said opening, said actuator constructed and arranged to frictionally engage and urge one of said medical pads through said opening; and    at least one biasing means disposed within said interior cavity and attached to said container body opposite said opening, whereby said at least one biasing means exerts a force urging said medical pads toward said actuator;    wherein said medical pad nearest said actuator is dispensable through said opening upon operation of said actuator by the user.    
   
   
       2 . The individual portable container as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one follower plate disposed within said interior cavity and sized to substantially extend the distance of the inner surface of said opposing sidewalls, wherein said at least one biasing means exerts a force between said container body and said at least one follower plate to push said medical pads toward said opening.  
   
   
       3 . The individual portable container as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said lid is attached to said container body by at least one pivot means.  
   
   
       4 . The individual portable container as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the upper periphery of said at least one pair of opposing sidewalls includes a channel constructed and arranged to receive the width of said lid, whereby said lid is readily translated by the user between said first position and said second position along said at least one pair of opposing sidewall channels.  
   
   
       5 . The individual portable container as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the outer periphery of said lid includes a channel constructed and arranged to receive a projection integrally connected to at least one pair of opposing sidewalls, whereby said lid is readily translated by the user between said first position and said second position along said at least one pair of opposing sidewall projections.  
   
   
       6 . The individual portable container as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said actuator comprises a roller which partially extends into said interior cavity, wherein said roller is composed of an elastic material that frictionally engages and urges the nearest of said medical pads through said opening upon rotation of the external portion of said actuator.  
   
   
       7 . The individual portable container as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said actuator comprises a toothed member which partially extends into said interior cavity, said actuator further comprising a roller with integrally connected gear member, said gear member in operable connection with said toothed member, whereby movement of said toothed member by the user causes said gear member to rotate and said roller to frictionally engage and urge the nearest of said medical pads through said opening upon rotation of the external portion of said actuator.  
   
   
       8 . The individual portable container as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said toothed member is a rod with button portion located external to, and outwardly biased against said container body and a toothed portion located within said interior cavity, wherein said toothed portion engages and rotates said gear member when said button portion is pressed inwardly by the user.  
   
   
       9 . The individual portable container as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said actuator includes a roller operatively connected to an electric motor in electrical communication with a switch, said roller includes a pin projecting therefrom, whereby rotation of said roller through one complete revolution causes said pin to trip said switch so that power to said motor is disrupted, thereby automatically expelling a single individually-packaged medical pad.  
   
   
       10 . A portable container with corresponding heating system adapted to store, dispense and maintain medical pads housed therein at the desired temperature, said portable container capable of being stored within a medical warming pad holding system, said container comprising: 
 a body defined by a first end, a second end in spaced apart relation along a longitudinal axis thereof, and at least two pairs of two opposing sidewall panels, each of said sidewall panels being integrally attached to a bottom panel at said second end, thereby defining an interior cavity with an upper access opening, said interior cavity constructed and arranged to accept at least one medical pad therein;    a lid attached to said body for movement between; 
 (1) a first position at which said lid provides at least partial access to said interior cavity of said container in order that additional medical pads may be placed within said interior cavity; and  
 (2) a second position at which said lid substantially covers said access opening;  
   an opening being constructed and arranged to allow passage of at least one of said medical pads enclosed within said interior cavity to a location whereby at least a portion of said medical pads extend outside said interior cavity, said opening located between either said lid and one of said sidewalls, or one of said sidewalls and said bottom panel;    an actuator disposed proximate said opening, said actuator constructed and arranged to frictionally engage and urge one of said medical pads through said opening;    at least one biasing means disposed within said interior cavity and attached to said container body opposite said opening, whereby said at least one biasing means exerts a force urging said medical pads toward said actuator; and    a heating system including a heating means in thermal communication with said container body for providing thermal energy to said medical pads housed with said container body;    wherein said medical pad nearest said actuator is dispensable through said opening upon operation of said actuator by the user.    
   
   
       11 . The portable container as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein said heating system further includes, 
 a means for supplying power to said heating means in series with a switch that translates between an open and a closed position to regulate the flow of electricity to said heating means, and a releasable connector means,    wherein said heating means is an electrically conductive wire in thermal communication with said container body.    
   
   
       12 . The portable container as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said means for supplying power comprises an electrically conductive line adapted to connect at a first end to said releasable connector means and a second end adapted to connect to a vehicle cigarette lighter.  
   
   
       13 . The portable container as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said means for supplying power comprises an electrically conductive line adapted to connect at a first end to said releasable connector means and a second end adapted to connect to a standard 110/120 VAC electrical outlet.  
   
   
       14 . The portable container as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said means for supplying power comprises batteries.  
   
   
       15 . The portable container as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said means for supplying power comprises rechargeable batteries.  
   
   
       16 . The portable container as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said heating system further comprises a container holder for housing said releasable connector means in electrical communication with said means for supplying power and retaining said container body substantially upright therein.  
   
   
       17 . The portable container as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said electrically conductive wire is embedded within, and substantially surrounds said container body.  
   
   
       18 . The portable container as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein said heating system further includes a temperature control system comprising: 
 a switch in electrical communication with means for supplying power which translates between an open and a closed position to regulate the flow of electricity to said heating means; and    at least one thermostat that extends into said interior cavity and said at least one thermostat being in communication with said switch means for maintaining said interior cavity at a desirable temperature by regulating the flow of electricity to said heating means.    
   
   
       19 . The portable container as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said temperature control system further includes at least one LCD display that shows a “set” temperature and an “actual” temperature, said display located on the outer surface of said container body.  
   
   
       20 . The portable container as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said temperature control system further comprises at least one temperature setting means located on said container body and allows the user to set said temperature control system to the desired temperature.  
   
   
       21 . The portable container as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein said heating means comprises a fluid conduit system that substantially surrounds said container body, said fluid conduit system comprising a fluidic inlet for receiving a heated fluid and an fluidic outlet for discharging said heated fluid.  
   
   
       22 . The portable container as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein said fluid conduit system further comprises a first connection means for releasably attaching said fluid inlet to a supply hose in a vehicle engine coolant system and a second releasable connection means for releasably attaching said fluid outlet with a return hose in said engine coolant system.  
   
   
       23 . The portable container as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein said heating system further includes a temperature control system comprising: 
 a temperature control valve located in fluid communication with said first connection means which translates between an open and a closed position to regulate the flow of fluid to said fluid conduit system; and    at least one thermostat that extends into said interior cavity and having adjustment means for maintaining said interior cavity at a desirable temperature, said thermostat being connected to the vehicle electrical system and regulating the supply of electrical current to said temperature control valve for translating said temperature control valve between said open and closed position.    
   
   
       24 . The portable container as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein said container body further comprises a LCD display that shows a “set” temperature and an “actual” (operating) temperature.  
   
   
       25 . The portable container as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein said temperature control system further comprises at least one temperature setting means located on said container body and allows the user to set said temperature control system to the desired temperature.  
   
   
       26 . A portable container adapted to store and dispense different types of medical pads therein, said portable container capable of being stored within a medical warming pad holding system, said container comprising: 
 a body defined by a first end, a second end in spaced apart relation along a longitudinal axis thereof, and at least two pairs of two opposing sidewall panels, each of said sidewall panels being integrally attached to a bottom panel at said second end, thereby defining an interior cavity with an upper access opening, said interior cavity divided into a plurality of separate compartments each compartment having a corresponding opening, wherein each of said compartments are constructed and arranged to accept different types of medical pads therein;    a lid attached to said body for movement between; 
 (1) a first position at which said lid provides at least partial access to said interior cavity of said container in order that additional medical pads may be placed within said interior cavity; and  
 (2) a second position at which said lid substantially covers said access opening;  
   at least one opening being constructed and arranged to allow passage of at least one of said medical pads enclosed within each said compartment of said interior cavity to a location whereby at least a portion of said medical pads extend outside said interior cavity, said opening located between either said lid and one of said sidewalls, or one of said sidewalls and said bottom panel, said opening;    one actuator in communication with each of said at least compartment and located proximate said opening, said actuator constructed and arranged to frictionally engage and urge one of said medical pads contained within each of said compartments through said at least one opening; and    at least one biasing means disposed within said each one of said compartments and attached to said container body opposite said at least one opening, whereby said at least one biasing means exerts a force urging said medical pads toward said actuator;    wherein said medical pad nearest said actuator is dispensable through said opening upon operation of said actuator by the user.