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Approved Temperature controlled insulin storage features (Survey)

Design_Tom_

Member
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18
I am product design student designing a product to help store insulin at the correct temperature in hot climates/summer time (Like a cool bag or Frio bag but hopefully better). I have created this survey to try and work out which features are most important to people and would be grateful if you could fill it out for me (it takes about 30 seconds):

https://goo.gl/forms/CxXubp942NkvcuCy2

Thank you for your time.
 
So I've come up with a few concepts and would love some feedback to see if I've gone in the right/wrong direction.

Based on the surveys I aimed at creating a product for insulin pen users that could store daily insulin requirements and last minimum 2 days in 40C heat and be able to be stored within a bag. From those requirements I ended up going down a route of electric cooling and think I can get about 2-4 days out of a single charge (depending on temperature).

Please be as honest as you like - I am not diabetic and so my understanding of user requirements is mainly from these two surveys and speaking to a couple of insulin users (I feel like I have an okay understanding now but am aware I could have overlooked things).


The other concepts are of a similar size to the above prototype.


I also wanted to create companion product that could store all insulin requirements for 2 weeks that wasn't electric but just kept everything at the correct temperature whilst you were travelling to your destination. This would have an integrated sharps bin and visible area to put contact details/doctor's note as well as room for glucometer etc.
 

Attachments

Interesting drawings @Design_Tom_

Would there be room for insulin vials and/or 3ml insulin cartridges?
 
Yes agree with @azure. Two pens plus two spare vials is the requirement. Needles can just go in my bag. Not sure how your designs will ensure even temp throughout the container. Also assume you are not showing vacuum walls as these needed to avoid condensation on outside. How will you stop heatsink getting too hot and heating one enc of container?
 
Further thought, for two week holiday Im happy to leave my insulin at UK ambient room temp, ie 15-20 deg C. If I'm away somewhere at 30-40 deg then your chiller only needs to cool insulin to 15-20 rather than 2 deg.
 

Two pens and two vials are requirements for one day? (I was lead to believe an insulin pen lasts a couple of days, obviously it depends on user requirements) Also what do you do with used needles?

You are correct, I have actually spec'ed 10mm vacuum insulation which is why the product is a little chunky. I haven't done specific calculations yet but my waste heat from the heat sink should only be about 2-5W at max load (40C) which I am lead to believe shouldn't be too difficult to dissipate.
 
steve_p6 said:
Further thought, for two week holiday Im happy to leave my insulin at UK ambient room temp, ie 15-20 deg C. If I'm away somewhere at 30-40 deg then your chiller only needs to cool insulin to 15-20 rather than 2 deg.
Click to expand...
Yeah sorry, missed that in my explanation - that is what I am planning on doing.

I have theoretical calculations of requiring less than 1W heat transfer to keep internal temperature at 20C when external is 40C. Therefore I reckon battery life will be about 2-3 days (hard to say as temp won't always be 40C).
 
Sorry I had mixed in the two week piece. However, I think your concepts will work for two weeks if they can be powered. My rationale is hotels dont have fridges/ not have aircon. If you do happen to find a fridge do you trust it not to freeze your insulin. I should have said on original post but you have some good ideas here.

Used needles sit in small tupperware tub with the spares. Alongside my Spare libre, spare pen and BG test meter. Storing a few needles is not an issue compared to all the rammel we carry about.
 
steve_p6 said:
I should have said on original post but you have some good ideas here.
Click to expand...
Thank you!

Used needles sit in small tupperware tub with the spares. Alongside my Spare libre, spare pen and BG test meter. Storing a few needles is not an issue compared to all the rammel we carry about.
Click to expand...

I'm still getting my head around everything that is used and how people store/interact with it all!

Just to clarify, I envisioned this product being the thing you would chuck in your bag and have near you with just your daily insulin requirements in and to use it if you're in a really hot country (either you're on holiday or you live there). Is that a sensible assumption on what people want?

Your mini-fridge replacement scenario is interesting to me. So would it hold, say, 8 disposable insulin pens (or 2 refillable pens and 8 vials). Then using similar technologies it keeps the stuff cool whilst your'e travelling with it and then when you reach your destination you just plug it in like you plug a phone in and it keeps it at correct temperature? (Could be either 20C or 8C I suppose because power is no longer an issue with it plugged in).
 
Design_Tom_ said:
Then using similar technologies it keeps the stuff cool whilst your'e travelling with it and then when you reach your destination you just plug it in like you plug a phone in and it keeps it at correct temperature?
Click to expand...
Perhaps you can put a mini usb port like the one on your mobile phone, then you can plug it in to the usb port in the car.

Plus you then can charge it home with the same phone charger.
 
You can obviously scale the solution for different scenarios. For me, the requirement is to keep two pens + 2 vials cool on a 2 week holiday which may or may not be your target user group?. Also bear in mind different pens have different dimensions and also some people are still using bottles plus syringe so having different holder inserts could be useful. Good luck.
 
When I travel I take my insulin 3ml cartridges in my carry on luggage then put them in the accommodation fridge on arrival at destination. I have never had them in 'cooler' bags and I've never had a issue with the insulin. Most insulins last a month out of refrigeration and I don't keep my pen refrigerated and each cartridge probably lasts under 2 weeks ok. However there might be a need in the future for a cooler device bad have not had the need so far.
David
 
So far my design can store 2 insulin pens and 2 insulin vials, having spoken to a diabetic on my course he said that the storage/disposal of insulin needles is quite an annoyance and if that could be incorporated in it would be useful. What are your opinions on storing/disposing of needles? Also he suggested space for some glucogel in case of emergencies would be useful as well?

I thought I'd also give a design update although I'm sure it will change very soon.

This is meant to show how you remove the insulin pens from the product.


simple lid design


The black square on the back is meant to be an LCD screen for showing internal temperature.
 
Your design looks smart @Design_Tom_

I can't remember if this has already been covered, but many people use a re-useable pen that they simply refill with a new cartridge (3ml) The 3ml cartridges come in packs of 5 normally (sealed individually) and in a strip. When I was using a pen (I have a pump now) the ability to keep cartridges cool would have been important. The pen just stayed in my bag (not chilled).

For me, the difficulty with all the more rigid chilling products (ie not Frio) is that they're too fixed in what they can hold. If they're more adaptable, they then seem to be too bulky. So combining adaptability with a small size is the key for me personally.
 
Thank you for the feedback, it is very valuable. How come you chilled the cartridges but not the pens?
 
Any possibility you could incorporate the reverse ie keeping the insulin "warm"? Recently in France the daytime temperature hovered around 2 degrees.

Additionally some eye drops have to be stored in the fridge. So maybe something else to consider!
 
asparagusp said:
Any possibility you could incorporate the reverse ie keeping the insulin "warm"? Recently in France the daytime temperature hovered around 2 degrees.

Additionally some eye drops have to be stored in the fridge. So maybe something else to consider!
Click to expand...
Yes! Keeping insulin from freezing is something I haven't really mentioned but I am looking into adding to the product, as the technology I'm using can do both heating and cooling.
 
Design_Tom_ said:
Thank you for the feedback, it is very valuable. How come you chilled the cartridges but not the pens?
Click to expand...

I carry my pen on me, just in my bag. The insulin cartridge in it is usually ok for 28 days at room temperature. But my spare cartridges I keep chilled. So if I were to go on holiday for two weeks, I'd have my pen at room temperature with a cartridge in, then spare cartridges in a Frio pack.

I use a pump now but still take my pen as a back up. So I'd be carrying spare vials of insulin (to refill my pump) and spare cartridges (for my pen). Those insulins would be chilled. The insulin in my pump obviously wouldn't be as I wear it 24 hrs a day, and neither would the insulin cartridge in my pen.

I hope that makes sense!
 
Okay that makes perfect sense!

I should really have added more context to my earlier post: from my research I am aiming my design at people who live in countries with very warm climates (or people going on holiday to hot countries for a long time) where the ambient temperature exceeds room temperature and therefore puts the insulin pen at risk of over heating on a daily basis. I have chosen this as my target market as I think as I think Frio bags cover short-term storage of insulin (for instance if you're away for a few days in hot weather) really well but can be improved upon for long-term use (for instance if every day the temperature exceeds 25C in the summer).
 

Hi,
I've just done your survey.. Some natty design going on there!
I use the Freo wallet traveling to hot destinations..

Realy? The only application needed is to keep insulin cool. Any other periferals can be shoved in a bag..?

So.. Looking at your design. This would sit great in a "cup holder" in a car.. (Or my case camper van.)
Get rid of the intended LCD temp display & use a low power blue LED clearly stating it's at optimum temp..
The LED can flash while charging & change colour if the power is dying...?
Lol, I'm already mentally hardwiring this puppy into the 12v system on my van & burying the cable...

The internal compartment in this container could be "interchangeable" pending on the use of vials or pens with spare cartridges....? Keeping it all rattle free in transit... Looking at the drawings & concept. You got it bang on!!
 
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