Baby bottle chiller/warmer and method of use

• US 20040140304A1
• Filed: 01/22/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kurt Philip Leyendecker
• Original Assignee: Kurt Philip Leyendecker
• Inventors: Leyendecker, Kurt Philip
• Application Number:
  US10/348,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20040140304A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/386
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/2433 with electrical heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/2438 for warming a water-bath or -jacket
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/04 reversible
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/0212 of electric power, current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/803 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/809 Holders

Abstract

A device for chilling and warming a baby bottle in a single chamber is described including a method of operating the device. The device typically utilizes a thermoelectric module to chill the chamber. The thermoelectric module can also be used to warm the chamber or a separate resistive heater may be provided. A clock circuit is utilized in certain embodiments that can be set to an activation or target time to automatically cause the device to switch from a chilling mode to a warming mode at the activation time.

Claims

1. A device for chilling and warming a baby bottle, the device comprising:

a chamber adapted for at least partially receiving a baby bottle therein;

a thermoelectric module (TEC), the TEC having a first face and a second face, the first face being thermally coupled with the chamber;

a DC Power supply; and

an electrical circuit electrically coupling the DC power supply with the TEC, the electrical circuit including (i) one or more switching mechanisms for reversing the direction of current flow through the TEC, the TEC cooling the chamber when current flows in a first direction and warming the chamber when the current flows in a second direction, (ii) a clock circuit including a first function, the first function permitting a user to select one of (a) an activation time for switching the device from a chilling mode to a warming mode and (b) a target time for ending a heat-up phase of the warming mode, activation of the first function at a time relative to one of the activation time and target time causing the one or more switching mechanisms to reverse the direction of current flow through the TEC.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the clock circuit includes an alarm, the alarm being either or both visual and audible and being activated at least one of (1) the time the first function is activated, (2) the target time and (3) the activation time.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a heat sink assembly, the heat sink assembly including a heat sink and a fan, the heat sink being thermally coupled with the second face of the TEC.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the user to selects the target time, and the clock circuit further includes a second function permitting the user to input the volume of fluid contained in the baby bottle, the clock circuit being further adapted to determine the time for activating the first function based on the input volume.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the time of activation of the first function and the activation time are the same.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit further comprises a first thermal switch, the first thermal switch being thermally coupled with the first face and adapted to interrupt the flow of current to the TEC when a first temperature is exceeded.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the first thermal switch comprises an open-on-rise bimetal thermostat.

8. The device of claim 6, further comprising a second thermal switch, the second thermal switch being thermally coupled with the second face of the TEC, the second thermal switch adapted to interrupt the flow of current to the TEC when a second temperature is exceeded.

9. The device of claim 6, further comprising a third thermal switch, the third thermal switch being thermally coupled with the first face, the third thermal switch adapted to interrupt the flow of current to the TEC when a temperature of the third thermal switch drops below a third temperature.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the third thermal switch comprises an close-on-rise bimetal thermal switch.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit further comprises an electronic controller and a first temperature sensor, the first temperature sensor comprising one of a thermocouple or a thermistor, the first temperature sensor being electrically coupled with the electronic controller and thermally coupled with the first face, the electronic controller being adapted to interrupt the flow of current to the TEC when the first temperature sensor exceeds a first temperature.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the electronic controller is further adapted to interrupt the flow of current to the TEC when the temperature of the first temperature sensor drops below a second temperature.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the electrical circuit further comprises a second temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor being electrically coupled with the electronic controller and thermally coupled with the second face, the electronic controller being adapted to interrupt the flow of current to the TEC when the second temperature sensor exceeds a third temperature.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the clock circuit is integrated on a chip with a microprocessor of the controller.

15. A device for chilling and warming a baby bottle, the device comprising:

a chamber adapted for at least partially receiving a baby bottle therein;

a thermoelectric module, the thermoelectric module having a first face and a second face, the first face being thermally coupled with the chamber;

a DC power supply; and

an electrical circuit, the electrical circuit electrically coupling the DC power supply with the thermoelectric module, the electrical circuit including (i) a first portion adapted to provide a flow of DC voltage in a first direction through the thermoelectric module to warm the chamber, the first portion including a first thermal switch, the first thermal switch being thermally coupled with the first face and adapted to stop the flow of DC voltage when a temperature of the first thermal switch exceeds a first temperature value, (ii) a second portion adapted to provide a flow of DC voltage in a second direction through the thermoelectric module to cool the chamber, the second direction being opposite the first direction, the second portion including a second thermal switch, the second thermal switch being thermally coupled with the second face and adapted to stop the flow of DC voltage when a temperature of the second thermal switch exceeds a second temperature value (iii) one or more switching mechanisms coupling the first and second portions to the DC power supply, the one or more switching mechanisms adapted to selectively supply DC voltage to one of the first portion, the second portion or neither the first and second portions.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the second portion of the circuit further comprises a third thermal switch, the third thermal switch being thermally coupled to the first face and adapted to stop the flow of DC voltage when a temperature of the third thermal switch falls below a third temperature value.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the electrical circuit further includes a clock circuit, the clock circuit being adapted to automatically switch the one or more switching mechanisms to reverse the flow of DC voltage to the thermoelectric module at a predetermined time.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the first thermal switch is attached to the chamber.

19. The device of claim 15 further comprising a heat sink, the heat sink being coupled with the second face of the thermal electric module.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the second thermal switch is attached to the heat sink.

21. A method comprising:

placing a baby bottle containing a fluid at least partially into a single chamber of a device for chilling and warming the baby bottle;

chilling the baby bottle while the baby bottle is at least partially contained in the single chamber; and

warming the baby bottle without removing the baby bottle from the single chamber subsequently to chilling the bottle.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said chilling the baby bottle includes providing a DC voltage in a first direction to a thermoelectric module, the thermoelectric module being in thermal contact with the single chamber.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said warming the baby bottle includes providing a DC voltage in a second direction, opposite the first direction to the thermoelectric module.

24. The method of claim 21 further comprising setting a first time on a clock, the clock being an integral component of the device for chilling and warming a baby bottle, the clock being adapted to begin performing said warming the baby bottle without removing the baby bottle from the single chamber at a second time based on the first time.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first and second times are the same.

26. The method of claim 24 further comprising (i) entering the volume of fluid contained in the baby bottle into the device for chilling and warming a baby bottle, (ii) calculating the second time based on the first time, the first time indicating a target time for the baby bottle to be sufficiently warmed and the first time being a start time for said warming the baby bottle without removing the baby bottle from the single chamber.