Thermometer sanitizing device and method
OwnerWalter Priceinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device (30) and method for sanitizing, with a sanitizing medium (52), a thermometer (6) having a probe (16) with a predetermined probe diameter (18). The device consists of a tube (34) having an outer surface (38) and an open end (42) adapted to receive the probe, and a closed end (46) opposite the open end and defining a reservoir (50) for holding the sanitizing medium. The device further includes a cap (60) removably attached to the tube open end and having an upper surface (64) with a central aperture (78) designed to closely receive the probe. At least one wiping member (82) in the cap is capable of forcibly gripping the probe so as to seal the sanitizing medium within the tube and to slidingly engage the probe so as to wipe the sanitizing medium from the probe when extracting the thermometer from the device.
Claims10
A system for determining the temperature of food, the system comprising:
- a) a food thermometer having a rigid, unbreakable probe, said probe having an outer surface and a transverse cross-sectional area;
- b) a tube having an outer surface, an open end adapted to receive said probe, a closed end opposite said open end, a central axis extending between said open end and said closed end, and a reservoir holding a sanitizing medium and at least a portion of said probe;
- and
- c) a cap attached to said tube adjacent said open end, said cap having:
- (i) an upper surface with an aperture therein sized to receive said probe;
- and
- (ii) at least one resilient member with an opening for receiving said probe, wherein said opening has a cross-sectional area no greater than the transverse cross-sectional area of said probe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.