November 17, 2021
PHC Corporation
TOKYO, November 17, 2021 - Engineers of PHC Corporation, a subsidiary of global healthcare company PHC Holdings Corporation, have received two awards(*1) at the 2021 Kanto Regional Commendation for Invention for the company’s PHCbi-branded ultra-low temperature freezers(*2), which are widely used around the world in the development and storage of COVID-19 vaccines.
As drug development and life sciences research evolve, strict temperature control has become essential for long-term, stable storage of pharmaceuticals and samples. At the same time, demand for energy-saving products is increasing in response to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to the environment.
The two award-winning innovations, used in PHCbi-branded ultra-low temperature freezers, address both of these needs. The first, which won the Gunma Prefectural Governor’s Award, is a dual refrigeration inverter that allows ultra-low temperature freezers to maintain internal temperature more accurately and with more stability while achieving the world’s top-class energy saving performance. The second, which won the Invention Encouragement Award, is the freezer door’s latch handle, which is ergonomically designed to keep the outer door of the freezer securely closed while ensuring the door can open and close with minimum force.
The Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation established the Regional Commendation for Invention in 1921 to honor engineers and R&D personnel responsible for outstanding inventions, devices, or designs. The commendations are in regional categories of Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kinki, Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu. PHC engineers have been honored six years in a row. Previous winning innovations include a prescription management device that includes an unused medication registration function to prevent prescription mistakes, which is used in the electronic medication history system for health insurance pharmacies.
[Invention Summaries]
■The Gunma Prefectural Governor’s Award
| Title of the Invention |
“Dual Refrigeration Inverter Control of Ultra-Low Temperature Freezer” (Patent No. 6603394) |
| Awardees |
Yuichi Tamaoki
Technology Department, Biomedical Business Unit, PHC Corporation
Minoru Suto
Technology Department, Biomedical Business Unit, PHC Corporation
Takahiro Inoue
Group 2 Development Department, Advanced Technology Development Center,
PHC Corporation
|
| Outline of the Invention |
Dual refrigeration inverter that controls the rotation of the two compressors in a positive correlation installed inside the ultra-low temperature freezer. |
■The Invention Encouragement Award
| Title of the Invention |
“Latch Handle Structure for Ultra-Low Temperature Freezer” (Patent No.6392466) |
| Awardees |
Tadashi Okada
Technology Department, Biomedical Business Unit, PHC Corporation
Eiichi Mori
PT PHC Indonesia
|
| Outline of the Invention |
Latch handle with a robust structure that allows easy opening and closing of the ultra-low temperature freezer door. |
(*1) koueki.jiii.or.jp/hyosho/chihatsu/R3/jusho_kanto/index.html (Japanese website)
(*2) www.phchd.com/global/biomedical/preservation/ultra-low-freezers
Award-winning Inventions
About PHC Holdings Corporation
PHC Holdings Corporation (PHC Group) is a global healthcare company with a mission of contributing to the health of society through healthcare solutions that have a positive impact and improve the lives of people. Its subsidiaries include PHC Corporation, Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG, Epredia, and LSI Medience Corporation. Together, these companies develop, manufacture, sell and service solutions across diabetes management, healthcare solutions, life sciences and diagnostics. PHC Group’s consolidated net sales in FY2020 were JPY 306 billion with global distribution of products and services in more than 125 countries.
www.phchd.com
About the Biomedical Business Unit of PHC Corporation
Established in 1969, PHC Corporation is a Japanese subsidiary of global healthcare company PHC Holdings Corporation. Its Biomedical Business Unit is active in life sciences business and supports scientists and researchers in around 110 countries through its laboratory and medical support equipment and services including PHCbi branded CO2 incubators and ultra-low temperature freezers.
www.phchd.com/global/biomedical/about-phcbi
Media contact:
PHC Corporation
+81-3-6778-5311