IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0899194
(2010-10-06)
|
등록번호 |
US-8792781
(2014-07-29)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Randall, Mark Edward
- Hawker, Christopher L.
- Moreland, Jessica A.
- Trunek, Christopher R.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Rochester CCC Incorporated
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
28 |
초록
▼
A temperature-regulating device for a personal fluid includes a housing having an exterior wall defining an inner space and having an opening therethrough. A dividing wall within the inner space defines a reservoir sector and a heating system sector on opposite sides. A cap portion is affixable adja
A temperature-regulating device for a personal fluid includes a housing having an exterior wall defining an inner space and having an opening therethrough. A dividing wall within the inner space defines a reservoir sector and a heating system sector on opposite sides. A cap portion is affixable adjacent the opening, has a closable aperture therethrough, and is movable between a storing position in covering relation to the opening and a dispensing and filling position wherein the opening is exposed, for enabling a fluid to be placed within and removed from the reservoir sector. A heating system within the heating system sector includes a heating element adjacent the dividing wall, for enabling heat transfer to the wall and then to the reservoir sector. An activator affixed adjacent the exterior wall is in signal communication with the heating system. An illumination element is provided for facilitating visualization in low-light conditions.
대표청구항
▼
1. A temperature-regulating and dispensing device for a personal fluid comprising: a housing having: an exterior wall at least partially defining an inner space and having an exterior wall opening therethrough into the inner space; anda dividing wall within the inner space for defining a reservoir s
1. A temperature-regulating and dispensing device for a personal fluid comprising: a housing having: an exterior wall at least partially defining an inner space and having an exterior wall opening therethrough into the inner space; anda dividing wall within the inner space for defining a reservoir sector on a first side of the dividing wall and a heating system sector on a second side of the dividing wall opposed to the first side, wherein the personal fluid is stored only within the reservoir sector and out of direct contact with the heating system sector, the exterior wall opening leading into the reservoir sector,wherein the exterior wall comprises a reservoir portion surrounding the reservoir sector and a heating system portion surrounding the heating system sector and including the dividing wall,wherein the exterior wall surrounding the heating system sector forms a bottom surface of the device and the exterior wall surrounding the reservoir sector forms a top portion of the device, and wherein the dividing wall is in communication with the bottom portion of the reservoir sector, andwherein the exterior wall opening is at a gravitationally lower position relative to the distal portion of the reservoir, and the dividing wall slopes at an angle upwardly from the portion of the reservoir adjacent to the housing wall exterior opening toward the distal end of the reservoir so as to facilitate gravitational flow and pooling of liquid in the reservoir at the exterior opening when the bottom surface is supported on a generally horizontal support surface;a cap portion affixable adjacent the exterior wall opening and having a closable aperture therethrough, the cap portion movable between a storing position in covering relation to the opening and a dispensing and filling position wherein the opening is exposed, for enabling the fluid to be placed within and removed from the reservoir sector; wherein the housing exterior wall and an exterior wall of the cap portion are substantially continuous and form a substantially smooth surface;a heating system positioned within the heating system sector comprising a heating element adjacent the dividing wall; andan activator affixed adjacent the housing exterior wall in signal communication with the heating system, adapted for activating and deactivating the heating system, wherein the dividing wall is comprised of conductive materials positioned in the dividing wall in a manner sufficient for enabling heat transfer from the heating element to and through the dividing wall substantially throughout the extent of the reservoir sector to provide uniform heating of the fluid carried within the reservoir sector. 2. The device recited in claim 1, wherein the housing exterior wall has a substantially ovoid bottom portion and a substantially planar top portion containing the opening and comprising a substantially cylindrical upwardly directed channel surrounding the opening, the bottom and the top portions meeting at a circumferential edge to form a uniform exterior surface without edges; and the cap portion comprises:a cap body having an open bottom and an arcuate top wall partially defining an interior space, the top wall having an opening therethrough, a bottom edge of the top wall smoothly matable with the circumferential edge, the cap body further comprising a channel support positioned within the interior space and joining an interior face of the top wall, the channel support comprising an upwardly extending, substantially cylindrical channel positioned and adapted for mating with the housing channel; anda cap top affixed to the cap body top wall in covering relation to the cap body top wall opening and movable between the storing position and the dispensing and filling position. 3. The device recited in claim 2, wherein the cap top is rotationally affixed to the cap body top wall. 4. The device recited in claim 2, wherein the cap body channel support further comprises a pair of downwardly extending, substantially concentric cylindrical channels, an inner channel defining an opening in fluid communication with the upwardly extending channel, and the downwardly extending channels having a radial space therebetween adapted for admitting the housing channel thereinto, for improving a seal therebetween when mated. 5. The device recited in claim 1, wherein the heating system further comprises a control system in signal communication with the activator and with the heating element, and adapted for controlling the heating element, wherein the control system comprises a processor and a temperature sensor in signal communication with the processor and in thermal communication with the reservoir sector, the processor coded for receiving a signal representative of a current temperature from the temperature sensor and for controlling the heating element to maintain a predetermined desired temperature. 6. The device recited in claim 5, wherein the heating system further comprises an H-bridge driver in signal communication with the processor and the heating element, adapted for mediating a control signal therebetween. 7. The device recited in claim 5 further comprising a lighting element in signal communication with the processor and at least partially positioned within the heating system sector, the processor further coded for controlling an illumination of the lighting element for reflecting a state of the reservoir sector temperature, wherein the control system provides staged signal communication comprising differentiated signals to indicate heating states, such heating states selected from a group of heating activated state, interim heating state and fully heated state. 8. The device recited in claim 5, wherein the control system further comprises a timer in signal communication with the processor and settable to a predetermined length of time, the processor further coded for controlling a duration of an activation of the heating element to substantially the predetermined time length. 9. The device recited in claim 1 wherein the heating element comprises at least one of a thermoelectric element and a resistive element, and further comprising a heat sink thermally connectable to the heating element. 10. The device recited in claim 9, wherein the thermoelectric element comprises a pair of Peltier-type solid state modules. 11. The device recited in claim 1, further comprising a power source positioned within the heating system sector and configured for providing power to the heating system. 12. The device recited in claim 1, wherein the reservoir portion and the heating system portion are configured to join and be contained in a unitary enclosure within the housing, and the reservoir portion and the heating system are separable, for permitting interchangeability of a first and a second reservoir having different contents within the respective reservoir sectors. 13. The device recited in claim 1, wherein the reservoir sector is deformable to force liquid down the dividing wall and channel through the external opening for dispensing. 14. The device recited in claim 1, wherein the heating element comprises at least one of a thermoelectric element and a resistive element, and further comprising a heat sink thermally connectable to the heating element wherein the heat sink is in substantially planar communication with the extent of the reservoir. 15. The device recited in claim 1, wherein the exterior wall of the housing comprises conductive materials and is configured to be heated by heat transfer from the heated liquid in the reservoir. 16. A method for regulating a temperature of and dispensing a personal fluid comprising: providing a temperature-regulating device having a heating element, the device comprising: an exterior wall at least partially defining an inner space and having an exterior wall opening therethrough into the inner space; anda dividing wall within the inner space for defining a reservoir sector on a first side of the dividing wall for containing the personal fluid and a heating system sector on a second side of the dividing wall opposed to the first side for containing the heating element, wherein the personal fluid is stored only in the reservoir sector and maintained out of direct contact with the heating system sector, the exterior wall opening leading into the reservoir sector, wherein the exterior wall comprises a reservoir portion surrounding the reservoir sector and a heating system portion surrounding the heating system sector and including the dividing wall, and wherein the exterior wall surrounding the heating system sector forms a bottom surface of the device and the exterior wall surrounding the reservoir sector forms a top portion of the device, wherein the dividing wall extends in communication with the bottom portion of the reservoir, the reservoir being positioned in an upper portion of the device extending above the extent of the dividing wall and the heating system sector being positioned below the dividing wall, thus maintaining the personal fluid within the reservoir sector and out of the direct contact with the heating system sector, and wherein the housing wall exterior opening is at a lower position relative to the distal portion of the reservoir, and the dividing wall slopes at an angle upwardly from the portion of the reservoir adjacent to the housing wall exterior opening toward the distal end of the reservoir so as to facilitate flow and pooling of liquid in the reservoir at the exterior opening when the bottom portion is supported by a generally horizontal support surface, and the dividing wall is comprised of conductive material positioned in the dividing wall in a manner sufficient for enabling heat transfer from the heating element to and through the dividing wall substantially throughout the extent of to the reservoir sector to provide uniform heating of the fluid in the reservoir permitting the personal fluid to reach a desired temperature;maintaining the personal fluid only within the reservoir sector during a heating thereof by the heating element;activating the heating element for transferring heat to the personal fluid stored only in the reservoir sector and heating the personal fluid to the desired temperature;exposing the opening into the housing for accessing the reservoir sector; anddispensing at least some of the personal fluid directly from the reservoir sector at the desired temperature. 17. The method recited in claim 16, wherein the heating element is under processor control, and further comprising setting the desired temperature in the processor and using the processor to control the heating element to reach the desired temperature. 18. The method recited in claim 17, further comprising using the processor to maintain the personal fluid at the desired temperature. 19. The method recited in claim 17, further comprising illuminating a lighting element under control of the processor for reflecting a state of the reservoir sector temperature. 20. The method recited in claim 17, further comprising setting a timer under control of the processor to a predetermined length of time, for controlling a duration of an activation of the heating element to substantially the predetermined time length. 21. The method recited in claim 16, further comprising interchanging the reservoir sector with a second reservoir sector containing a second personal fluid in a reservoir sector thereof. 22. The method recited in claim 16, wherein the dispensing comprises at least one of pouring the personal fluid out of the reservoir sector and squeezing the reservoir sector to expel the personal fluid.
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