Inductively heatable fluid reservoir
First Claim
1. A fluid reservoir comprising:
- a reservoir body includes a piston-engagement end and a dispensing end, the piston-engagement end and the dispensing end defining opposite ends of the reservoir body, wherein fluid is housed in the reservoir body;
a valve assembly that has a chamber at least partially disposed within the reservoir body;
a heating structure thermally coupled to the fluid and configured to energize at least a portion of the fluid housed in the reservoir body, wherein the heating structure is disposed within the reservoir body, wherein the heating structure is external to the chamber of the valve assembly and at least partially surrounds the chamber of the valve assembly;
a piston configured to engage the piston-engagement end of the reservoir body, wherein a volume of the reservoir body available to house the fluid is defined by a distance between the piston and the dispensing end of the reservoir body; and
an outlet port in fluid communication with the reservoir body, such that when the piston is linearly translated toward the dispensing end of the reservoir body a volume of the fluid that has been energized by the heating structure flows from the reservoir body and through the outlet port.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fluid reservoir includes a reservoir body, a heating structure, a piston, and an outlet port. The reservoir body includes a cross section, and a translation axis. The cross section is uniform along the translation axis. When fluid is housed in the reservoir, the heating structure is thermally coupled to the fluid. The heating structure energizes the fluid housed in the reservoir. The piston translates along the translation axis. An available volume of the reservoir to house the fluid is defined by a distance between the piston and an end of the reservoir body. When the piston is translated along the translation axis toward the end, a volume of the fluid that has been energized by the heating structure flows from the reservoir and through the outlet port. The volume of energized fluid is linearly proportional to a length of the translation of the piston.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A fluid reservoir comprising:
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a reservoir body includes a piston-engagement end and a dispensing end, the piston-engagement end and the dispensing end defining opposite ends of the reservoir body, wherein fluid is housed in the reservoir body; a valve assembly that has a chamber at least partially disposed within the reservoir body; a heating structure thermally coupled to the fluid and configured to energize at least a portion of the fluid housed in the reservoir body, wherein the heating structure is disposed within the reservoir body, wherein the heating structure is external to the chamber of the valve assembly and at least partially surrounds the chamber of the valve assembly; a piston configured to engage the piston-engagement end of the reservoir body, wherein a volume of the reservoir body available to house the fluid is defined by a distance between the piston and the dispensing end of the reservoir body; and an outlet port in fluid communication with the reservoir body, such that when the piston is linearly translated toward the dispensing end of the reservoir body a volume of the fluid that has been energized by the heating structure flows from the reservoir body and through the outlet port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A fluid reservoir that houses fluid, the reservoir comprising:
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a reservoir body defines a longitudinal axis; a valve assembly that has a chamber at least partially disposed within the reservoir body; a heating structure thermally coupled to the fluid housed in the reservoir body and configured to energize at least a portion of the fluid housed within the reservoir body, wherein the heating structure is disposed within the reservoir body, wherein the heating structure is external to the chamber of the valve assembly and at least partially surrounds the chamber of the valve assembly; a piston configured to translate along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis of the reservoir body; a nozzle in fluid communication with the reservoir body, the nozzle configured to output the fluid housed within the reservoir body based on linear translation of the piston toward the nozzle; and a first valve that resists the output of the fluid through the nozzle unless a dispensing force is applied to the reservoir body, wherein the dispensing force increases an internal pressure of the fluid to overcome a resistance of the first valve. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A fluid reservoir comprising:
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a reservoir body that includes a piston-engagement end and a dispensing end, the piston-engagement end and the dispensing end defining opposite ends of the reservoir body, wherein fluid is housed in the reservoir body; a valve assembly that has a chamber at least partially disposed within the reservoir body; a piston configured to engage the piston-engagement end of the reservoir body, wherein a volume of the reservoir body available to house the fluid is defined by a distance between the piston and the dispensing end of the reservoir body; an outlet port in fluid communication with the reservoir body, such that when the piston is linearly translated toward the dispensing end of the reservoir body a volume of the fluid flows from the reservoir body and is dispensed from the outlet port; and a heating structure thermally coupled to the fluid housed in the reservoir body and configured to energize at least a portion of the fluid housed within the reservoir body, wherein the heating structure is disposed within the reservoir body, wherein the heating structure is external to the chamber of the valve assembly and at least partially surrounds the chamber of the valve assembly. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification