Pouch for Cooling an Insulin Pump and a Combination of Such a Pouch, a Protective Casing and an Insulin Pump

Abstract

The invention relates to a pouch for cooling an insulin pump, which pouch includes a bottom wall and a standing peripheral wall along the bottom wall for enclosing an insulin pump. The upper edge of the peripheral wall forms an insertion opening for inserting the insulin pump. At least two opposite wall parts of the peripheral wall are provided with hydrogel-filled compartments, and the wall parts are water-permeable for the purpose of bringing the hydrogel into contact with water.

Claims

1. A pouch for cooling an insulin pump, comprising: a bottom wall; and a standing peripheral wall along the bottom wall for enclosing an insulin pump and wherein an upper edge of the peripheral wall forms an insertion opening for inserting the insulin pump; wherein at least two opposite wall parts of the peripheral wall are provided with hydrogel-filled compartments and wherein the wall parts are water-permeable for the purpose of bringing the hydrogel into contact with water.

2. The pouch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wall parts provided with hydrogel-filled compartments comprise a first water-permeable layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer are attached to each other along the periphery as well as being attached to each other along attachment lines, which attachment lines extend between the edges of the layers in order to form compartments.

3. The pouch as claimed in claim 2, wherein the compartments formed between the layers are elongate and the longitudinal axes of the compartments extend parallel to the bottom wall.

4. The pouch as claimed in claim 3, wherein the distance over the surface and between the longitudinal edges of a compartment is less than 2 centimetres.

5. The pouch as claimed in claim 3, wherein each compartment is filled with a maximum of 3.0 g hydrogel.

6. The pouch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom wall is provided with at least one compartment filled with hydrogel.

7. The pouch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wall parts extending between the at least two opposite wall parts provided with hydrogel-filled compartments are provided along the insertion opening with an elastic strip.

8. The pouch as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a removable protective layer is arranged against an outer side of at least the bottom wall and against the wall parts provided with compartments.

9. The pouch as claimed in claim 8, wherein the protective layer forms the wall parts of the peripheral wall which are not provided with compartments such that the protective layer forms a bag, and wherein the bottom wall and the wall parts provided with compartments form a mat removable from the bag.

10. The pouch as claimed in claim 9, wherein an elastic part is arranged in at least one of the wall parts of the peripheral wall which are not provided with compartments.

11. The pouch as claimed in claim 1, wherein an inner side of at least the bottom wall and the wall parts provided with compartments is water-impermeable.

12. A combination of a pouch as claimed in claim 1 and a protective casing, which protective casing is arranged in the pouch for removal via the insertion opening and wherein the protective casing has a closable insertion opening for insertion of an insulin pump.

13. The combination as claimed in claim 12, wherein the protective casing is at least water-repellent.

14. The combination as claimed in claim 12, further comprising an insulin pump, which insulin pump has a substantially block-shaped housing and wherein the insulin pump is arranged between the at least two opposite wall parts of the peripheral wall of the pouch.

15. The pouch as claimed in claim 4, wherein each compartment is filled with a maximum of 3.0 g hydrogel.

16. The pouch as claimed in claim 5, wherein each compartment is filled with a maximum of 2.0 g hydrogel.

17. The pouch as claimed in claim 4, wherein the distance over the surface and between the longitudinal edges of a compartment is less than or equal to 1.25 centimetres.

18. The pouch as claimed in claim 8, wherein the protective layer comprises leather or plastic.

19. The pouch as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bottom wall is provided with at least one compartment filled with hydrogel.

20. The combination as claimed in claim 13, further comprising an insulin pump, which insulin pump has a substantially block-shaped housing and wherein the insulin pump is arranged between the at least two opposite wall parts of the peripheral wall of the pouch.

Description

[0045] These and other features of the invention are further elucidated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0046] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the combination according to the invention with exploded parts.

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the pouch according to the invention.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows a blank of the pouch according to FIG. 2.

[0049] FIG. 4 shows a protective casing according to the invention.

[0050] FIG. 5 shows a variant of the combination according to FIG. 1.

[0051] FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of the combination according to the invention.

[0052] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combination 1 according to the invention. The combination has an insulin pump 1, a pouch 2 and a hip bag 3.

[0053] Insulin pump 1 has a substantially block-shaped housing in which a screen 4 and several control buttons 5, 6 are arranged. Further provided on the block-shaped housing is a hose connection 7 for a hose 8 with which insulin pump 1 can administer insulin to a patient.

[0054] Insulin pump 1 is placed during use in a pouch 2. This pouch 2 has a bottom 9 with a peripheral wall with wall parts 10, 11, 12, 13. The long wall parts 10, 12 and bottom 9 are provided with compartments (see FIG. 2). The upper edge of wall parts 10, 11, 12, 13 form an insertion opening through which the insulin pump 1 can be placed into pouch 2.

[0055] In this embodiment the short wall parts 11, 13 take a single-walled form and are provided with an elastic strip 14 with which the long wall parts 10, 12 can be pressed against the housing of insulin pump 1.

[0056] Pouch 2 together with the inserted insulin pump 1 is then placed in a hip bag 3. This hip bag 3 has a flap 15 which is provided with Velcro tape 16, 17 with which hip bag 3 can be closed.

[0057] Further provided on hip bag 3 is a belt 18 with which bag 3 can be easily arranged around the waist of a patient.

[0058] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of pouch 2. Wall parts 10 and 12 as well as bottom 9 have a first layer 19 and a second layer 20 which are connected to each other by means of stitching 21 and whereby compartments 22 are formed (see also FIG. 3).

[0059] A quantity of hydrogel 23 is arranged in compartments 22. Owing to the water-permeability of layers 19 and 20 this hydrogel 23 can absorb water which subsequently evaporates again so that cooling takes place. Insulin pump 1 placed in pouch 2 can hereby be cooled.

[0060] It will further be apparent from FIG. 3 that a further two wall parts 11, 13 are arranged on the two layers 19, 20 forming the wall parts with compartments 22. On the upper side of these wall parts 11, 13 elastic strips 14 are provided close to the insertion opening of pouch 2 in order to press wall parts 10, 12 with compartments 22 against insulin pump 1 and thus keep it cooled in that the hydrogel 23 evaporates water.

[0061] Hydrogel 23 can be provided as granular material or as beads. A possible active component of the hydrogel are acid sodium compounds with cross-linked polypropylene).

[0062] FIG. 4 shows a protective casing 24 which can be arranged round insulin pump 1. Protective casing 24 has a cover 25 with which casing 24 can be closed and with which insulin pump 1 can be protected from moisture from pouch 2.

[0063] FIG. 5 shows a variant of the combination according to FIG. 1 with exploded parts. In this variant a mat 30 with compartments 31 extending in longitudinal direction is wrapped around insulin pump 1. Mat 30 thus forms the bottom and two wall parts of the peripheral wall of a pouch according to the invention.

[0064] This mat 30 is then placed together with insulin pump 1 in a bag 32. This bag 32 is formed from a layer of leather or plastic which provides protection for mat 30 and insulin pump 1. Bag 32 has two longitudinal walls 33, 34 which are arranged against compartments 31 of mat 30. Longitudinal walls 33, 34 are provided with perforations 35 so that the moisture in the hydrogel in compartments 31 can evaporate easily via perforations 35.

[0065] Bag 32 further has side walls 36, 37 in which an elastic part 38, 39 is arranged. This elastic part 38, 39 ensures that the width B of bag 32 can vary so that bag 32 can enclose insulin pump 1 properly with and without mat 30.

[0066] FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of the combination according to the invention. Shown herein is an insulin pump 40 which can be arranged on the skin of a user using a plaster 41. A pouch 42 is then placed round this insulin pump. This pouch 42 is provided over the whole surface with compartments 43 filled with a hydrogel.

[0067] If desired, a further protective layer (not shown) can be arranged over pouch 42 in the same way as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 or 5.