Container cooler and warmer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus that can provide convenient warming and cooling of a container, comprising:
- (a) an inner container housing having an internal space, an inner container housing bottom, the inner container housing bottom further including an inner container housing bottom inner surface and an inner container housing bottom external surface, the inner container housing adapted to at least partially enclose the container, and the inner container housing further comprising at least one side wall having a side wall inner surface and a side wall external surface;
(b) at least one first thermoregulation member adjacent to the inner container housing comprising at least one of a water bath, recirculating water bath, evaporator, heat transfer fluid unit, plurality of fins, at least one fan, thermoelectric module, Stirling Cycle unit, absorption unit, refrigerant unit, thermoacoustic unit, and heat sink, or combination thereof;
(c) at least one second thermoregulation member adjacent to the inner container housing comprising at least one of a heater coil, radiant heat module, convection heat module, heater band, flexible heater band, thermoelectric module, and conduction heat module, or combination thereof; and
(d) a switch operably connected to the first and second thermoregulation members.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a container warmer that utilizes the same compartment for heating and cooling. In optional embodiments, the unit may include a programmable timer operably connected to the heating and cooling units such that the timer may regulate activity of the units. In other embodiments, the invention may include a baby bottle warmer in which the baby bottle is placed in a water bath in a compartment, the water bath being heated or cooled by heating or cooling units, and optionally operably connected to a programmable timer.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. An apparatus that can provide convenient warming and cooling of a container, comprising:
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(a) an inner container housing having an internal space, an inner container housing bottom, the inner container housing bottom further including an inner container housing bottom inner surface and an inner container housing bottom external surface, the inner container housing adapted to at least partially enclose the container, and the inner container housing further comprising at least one side wall having a side wall inner surface and a side wall external surface; (b) at least one first thermoregulation member adjacent to the inner container housing comprising at least one of a water bath, recirculating water bath, evaporator, heat transfer fluid unit, plurality of fins, at least one fan, thermoelectric module, Stirling Cycle unit, absorption unit, refrigerant unit, thermoacoustic unit, and heat sink, or combination thereof; (c) at least one second thermoregulation member adjacent to the inner container housing comprising at least one of a heater coil, radiant heat module, convection heat module, heater band, flexible heater band, thermoelectric module, and conduction heat module, or combination thereof; and (d) a switch operably connected to the first and second thermoregulation members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus that can provide convenient warming or cooling of a container inserted into at least one first and second thermoregulation unit, comprising:
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(a) a means for adjusting the temperature of the at least one first and second thermoregulation unit; (b) a means for controlling the means for adjusting the temperature of the at least one first and second thermoregulation unit, wherein at least one of the thermoregulation unit comprises a substantially continuous, non-pliable, side wall inner surface; (c) wherein the at least one first thermoregulation member is adjacent to an inner housing comprising at least one of a water bath, recirculating water bath, evaporator, heat transfer fluid unit, plurality of fins, at least one fan, thermoelectric module, Stirling Cycle unit, absorption unit, refrigerant unit, thermoacoustic unit, and heat sink, or combination thereof; and (d) wherein the at least one second thermoregulation member is adjacent to the inner housing comprising at least one of a heater coil, radiant heat module, convection heat module, heater band, flexible heater band, thermoelectric module, and conduction heat module, or combination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method that can provide convenient warming or cooling of a container inserted into an inner container housing, comprising:
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(a) providing an engaging signal to activate a thermoregulator control unit; and (b) engaging at least one first thermoregulator or second thermoregulator in response to the thermoregulator control unit activation such that the at least one first or second thermoregulator and will heat or cool an inner container housing inner space, the inner container housing including a substantially continuous, non-pliable side wall inner surface and wherein the at least one first thermoregulation member comprises at least one of a water bath, recirculating water bath, evaporator, heat transfer fluid unit, plurality of fins, at least one fan, thermoelectric module, Stirling Cycle unit, absorption unit, refrigerant unit, thermoacoustic unit, and heat sink, or combination thereof; and wherein the at least one second thermoregulation member comprises at least one of a heater coil, radiant heat module, convection heat module, heater band, flexible heater band, thermoelectric module, and conduction heat module, or combination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A method to heat or cool a container, comprising:
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(a) activating a cooling unit to cool an adjacent inner container housing inner space, the inner container housing including a substantially continuous side wall inner surface; (b) programming a timer to generate a control signal when the timer goes off; and (c) activating a heating unit to heat the inner container housing inner space in response to the control signal and shutting off the cooling unit. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A method of using an apparatus to warm a baby bottle, comprising:
- (a) inserting a baby bottle into the apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises a substantially continuous, non-pliable, side wall inner surface;
(b) engaging a cooling unit in the apparatus adjacent to an inner container housing to cool the baby bottle, the cooling unit comprising at least one of a water bath, recirculating water bath, evaporator, heat transfer fluid unit, plurality of fins, at least one fan, thermoelectric module, Stirling Cycle unit, absorption unit, refrigerant unit, thermoacoustic unit, and heat sink, or combination thereof;and (c) engaging a warming unit in the apparatus to heat the baby bottle, the warming unit comprising at least one of a heater coil, radiant heat module, convection heat module, heater band, flexible heater band, thermoelectric module, and conduction heat module, or combination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (36)
- (a) inserting a baby bottle into the apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises a substantially continuous, non-pliable, side wall inner surface;
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37. A baby bottle warmer and cooler, comprising:
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(a) an outer housing adapted to receive the baby bottle; (b) the outer housing containing an inner housing adapted to receive the baby bottle; (c) the inner housing having an internal space, an inner housing bottom, the inner housing bottom further including an inner housing bottom inner surface and an inner housing bottom external surface, and the inner housing further comprising at least one side wall, the side wall having a side wall inner surface and a side wall external surface; (d) at least one first thermoregulation member adjacent to the inner housing comprising at least one of a water bath, recirculating water bath, evaporator, heat transfer fluid unit, plurality of fins, at least one fan, thermoelectric module, Stirling Cycle unit, absorption unit, refrigerant unit, thermoacoustic unit, and heat sink, or combination thereof; (e) at least one second thermoregulation member adjacent to the inner housing comprising at least one of a heater coil, radiant heat module, convection heat module, heater band, flexible heater band, thermoelectric module, and conduction heat module, or combination thereof; (f) a switch operably connected to the first and second thermoregulation members, the switch being operably connected to a timer; and (g) an input device on the outer housing operably connected to the switch. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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Specification