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US 6,571,564 B2Granted
Timed container warmer and cooler
OwnerShashank Upadhye, Shilpa Upadhyeinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is an invention related to a warmer and cooler for a container that is programmably timed to engage a heating and/or cooling unit. The invention may be adapted for use with a baby bottle to facilitate nighttime feedings by programming when the unit should be turned on to heat the bottle or cool the bottle.
Claims67
An apparatus to minimize efforts in container warming using a liquid, comprising:
- (a) a control unit;
- (b) an enclosure, the enclosure including an inner liquid tight chamber, the liquid being in contact with the chamber;
- (c) a heating unit associated with the enclosure;
- (d) a cooling unit associated with the enclosure;
- and
- (e) wherein the control unit is adapted to manipulate the heating and the cooling unit.
3 more elements
An apparatus to thermoregulate a container using a liquid, comprising:
- (a) a means for adjusting a temperature of an enclosure, the enclosure including an inner liquid tight chamber, the liquid being in contact with the chamber;
- and
- (b) a means for moderating the timing of the adjusting means.
A method of providing thermoregulation to a container using a liquid, comprising:
- (a) providing an engaging signal to a thermoregulator;
- and
- (b) engaging the thermoregulator to heat or cool an enclosure in response to the engaging signal, the enclosure including an inner liquid tight chamber, the liquid being in contact with the chamber.
A method of warming a container using a liquid, comprising:
- (a) setting an alarm on a unit adapted to receive the container, the unit including an inner liquid tight chamber, the liquid being in contact with the chamber;
- and
- (b) engaging a heating unit to provide heat to the container when the alarm goes off.
A method of warming a container using a liquid in an enclosure, comprising:
- (a) engaging a cooling unit that is adapted to receive the container;
- (b) receiving an alarm activation signal;
- and
- (c) activating a heating unit in response to the receipt of the alarm activation signal, the enclosure including an inner liquid tight chamber, the liquid being in contact with the chamber.
1 more element
An apparatus to minimize efforts in container warming, comprising:
- (a) a control unit;
- (b) an enclosure;
- (c) a heating unit associated with the enclosure;
- (d) a cooling unit associated with the enclosure;
- (e) wherein the control unit is adapted to manipulate the heating and the cooling unit;
- and
- (f) wherein the enclosure further comprises a basket.
4 more elements
An apparatus to minimize efforts in container warming, comprising:
- (a) a control unit;
- (b) an enclosure;
- (c) a heating unit associated with the enclosure;
- (d) a cooling unit associated with the enclosure;
- (e) wherein the control unit is adapted to manipulate the heating and the cooling unit;
- and
- (f) wherein the cooling unit further comprises at least one of a recirculating water bath, an evaporator, a heat transfer fluid unit, a plurality of fins, at least one fan, a thermoelectric module, a Stirling Cycle unit, an absorption unit, refrigerant unit, a thermoacoustic unit, and a heat sink.
4 more elements
An apparatus to minimize efforts in container warming, comprising:
- (a) a control unit;
- (b) an enclosure;
- (c) a heating unit associated with the enclosure;
- (d) a cooling unit associated with the enclosure;
- (e) wherein the control unit is adapted to manipulate the heating and the cooling unit;
- (f) wherein the heating unit further comprises at least one of a heater coil, radiant heat module, convection heat module, thermoelectric module, and conduction heat module;
- (g) wherein the enclosure further comprises an input device, the input device comprising at least one of a keyboard, voice activated module, pointer, and touch screen;
- and a display indicator;
- and
- (h) wherein the cooling unit further comprises at least one of a recirculating water bath, an evaporator, a heat transfer fluid unit, a plurality of fins, at least one fan, a thermoelectric module, a Stirling Cycle unit, an absorption unit, refrigerant unit, a thermoacoustic unit, and a heat sink.
7 more elements
An apparatus to minimize efforts in container warming, comprising:
- (a) a control unit;
- (b) an enclosure;
- (c) a heating unit associated with the enclosure;
- (d) a cooling unit associated with the enclosure;
- and
- (e) wherein the control unit is adapted to manipulate the heating and the cooling unit;
- and
- (f) wherein the cooling unit further comprises a compressor and an evaporator.
5 more elements
An apparatus to minimize efforts in container warming, comprising:
- (a) a control unit;
- (b) an enclosure comprising an input device, the input device comprising at least one of a keyboard, voice activated module, pointer, and touch screen;
- and a display indicator;
- (c) a heating unit associated with the enclosure, the heating unit comprising a first thermoelectric module;
- (d) a cooling unit associated with the enclosure, the cooling unit comprising a second thermoelectric module and a heat sink;
- and
- (e) wherein the control unit is adapted to manipulate the heating and the cooling unit, the control unit is a switch to selectively actuate the first or second thermoelectric modules.
4 more elements
An apparatus to thermoregulate a container, comprising:
- (a) a means for adjusting a temperature of an enclosure;
- and
- (b) a means for moderating the timing of the adjusting means;
- (c) wherein the means for adjusting the temperature comprises a control unit;
- (d) wherein the control unit comprises a heating unit and a cooling unit;
- and
- (e) wherein the cooling unit comprises at least one of a recirculating water bath, an evaporator, a heat transfer fluid unit, a plurality of fins, at least one fan, a thermoelectric module, a Stirling Cycle unit, an absorption unit, refrigerant unit, a thermoacoustic unit, and a heat sink.
4 more elements
An apparatus to thermoregulate a container, comprising:
- (a) a means for adjusting a temperature of an enclosure;
- (b) a means for moderating the timing of the adjusting means;
- (c) wherein the means for moderating the timing includes a programmable alarm timer;
- and
- (d) wherein the means for adjusting the temperature comprises:
- (i) a heating unit comprising at least one of a heater coil, radiant heat module, convection heat module, thermoelectric module, and conduction heat module;
- and
- (ii) a cooling unit comprising at least one of a recirculating water bath, an evaporator, a heat transfer fluid unit, a plurality of fins, at least one fan, a thermoelectric module, a Stirling Cycle unit, an absorption unit, refrigerant unit, a thermoacoustic unit, and a heat sink.
5 more elements
A method of warming a container, comprising:
- (a) setting an alarm on a unit adapted to receive the container;
- and
- (b) engaging a heating unit to provide heat to the container when the alarm goes off;
- and
- (c) wherein the method further comprises engaging a cooling unit to engage when the heating unit turns off.
2 more elements
An apparatus for warming a container, comprising:
- (a) a control unit;
- (b) an enclosure, the enclosure including an inner liquid tight chamber, the liquid being in contact with the chamber
- (c) a thermoregulating unit associated with the enclosure;
- and
- (d) wherein the control unit is adapted to manipulate the thermoregulating unit, and the thermoregulating unit manipulates the heating and cooling of the same inner chamber.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.