Refrigerated Specimen Carrier Bag

Abstract

A specimen carrier bag of the type useful for transporting clinical specimens from a specimen collection site to a laboratory site for analysis is provided with a small, light weight preferably disposable refrigerator unit which can be stored for extended periods without loss of cooling capacity and activated for cooling specimens in the carrier bag during transport, thereby avoiding the need to keep dry ice on hand for this purpose. In presently preferred embodiments the refrigerator unit has a battery driven compressor for circulating a working fluid such as freon or a battery powered thermoelectric heat pump.

1 . A refrigerated carrier bag for use in transport of clinical laboratory specimens and the like, comprising:
 a bag of thermally insulating material with a bag opening for providing access into a bag interior; and   a portable battery powered refrigerator unit operatively coupled to said bag for cooling said bag interior thereby to refrigerate any contents placed in said bag.   
   
   
       2 . The refrigerated carrier bag of  claim 1  wherein said battery powered refrigerator unit comprises a thermoelectric cooling device 
   
   
       3 . The refrigerated carrier bag of  claim 1  wherein said battery powered refrigerator unit comprises a compressor for circulating a working fluid in a refrigeration cycle. 
   
   
       4 . The refrigerated carrier bag of  claim 1  wherein said battery powered refrigerator is external to said bag and is fluidically connected for delivering refrigerated air to said bag interior. 
   
   
       5 . The refrigerated carrier bag of  claim 1  wherein said battery powered refrigerator is relatively small and lightweight for convenient carrying together with said bag by a person. 
   
   
       6 . A method for transporting a clinical laboratory specimen from a specimen collection site to a laboratory location comprising the steps of:
 providing at said specimen collection site a carrier bag of thermally insulating material with a bag opening for providing access into an interior of said bag;   obtaining and placing a clinical laboratory specimen in said interior of the bag;   closing said bag:   coupling and activating a battery powered refrigerator for cooling said specimen in said interior of said bag; and   carrying said bag to said laboratory location with said refrigerator activated and coupled to said bag.