Powered hydration system

• US 8,220,664 B1
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilcox Industries Corp.
• Original Assignee: Wilcox Industries Corp.
• Inventors: Teetzel, James W., Lemire, Gary M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Lien
• Application Number:
  US11/704,632
• Time in Patent Office: 1,985 Days
• Field of Search: 222/94, 222/95, 222/175, 222/333, 222526-539, 222/504, 200/302.2, 2241481-1487
• US Class Current: 222/175
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/20 of flexible material; Collapsible or stackable cups

Abstract

A personal hydration system resistant to environmental contamination is provided. In a further aspect, a method of delivering fluid to a user is provided.

Claims

1. A portable hydration system, comprising:

an outer bag;

a fluid reservoir for containing a volume of a potable fluid removably received within said outer bag, said fluid reservoir having a fluid outlet;

a pump received within said outer bag, said pump having an inlet and an outlet, said pump inlet being in fluid communication with said reservoir outlet, said pump outlet including a nozzle extending through an opening in said outer bag;

one or more sealing members for sealing said opening in said outer bag relative to said pump outlet;

a dispensing tube coupled to said pump outlet and defining a fluid passageway for supplying fluid to a user;

a switch mounted on said dispensing tube in electrical communication with said pump, said switch for selectively actuating and deactuating said pump; and

a wire passing within said fluid passageway and electrically coupling said pump with said switch.

2. The portable hydration system of claim 1, wherein said outer bag and said dispensing tube are resistant to environmental contamination.

3. The portable hydration system of claim 2, further comprising:

said outer bag is formed of a material which is resistant to one or both of chemical agents and biological agents; and

said dispensing tube is formed of a material which is resistant to one or both of chemical agents and biological agents.

4. The portable hydration system of claim 1, wherein said switch is resistant to environmental contamination.

5. The portable hydration system of claim 4, said switch is resistant to one or both of chemical agents and biological agents.

6. The portable hydration system of claim 1, further comprising:

a fastener for releasably sealing an open end of said outer bag.

7. The portable hydration system of claim 1, further comprising:

a length of tubing fluidically coupling said pump inlet and said reservoir outlet.

8. The portable hydration system of claim 7, further comprising:

said length of tubing having a first end having a first fluid connector and a second end attached to said pump inlet; and

a reservoir outlet having a second fluid connector, said first and second fluid connectors adapted to be releasably connected to define a flow passageway therethrough.

9. The portable hydration system of claim 1, further comprising:

said outer bag having an open end adapted to be sealed by one or both of folding and rolling said open end over upon itself; and

a fastener removably attachable to said outer bag for securing said outer bag in a sealed condition.

10. The portable hydration system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user-actuatable valve located at a distal end of said dispensing tube.

11. The portable hydration system of claim 10, wherein said user-actuatable valve is a bite valve.

12. The portable hydration system of claim 10, further comprising:

said user-actuatable valve is detachable from said dispensing tube; and

a filtration member removably attachable to the distal end of said dispensing tube.

13. A hydration method, comprising:

providing a hydration system, said hydration system including;

an outer bag;

a fluid reservoir for containing a volume of a potable fluid removably received within said outer bag, said fluid reservoir having a fluid outlet;

a pump received within said outer bag, said pump having an inlet and an outlet, said pump inlet being in fluid communication with said reservoir outlet, said pump outlet including a nozzle extending through an opening in said outer bag;

one or more sealing members for sealing said opening in said outer bag relative to said pump outlet; and

,

a dispensing tube coupled to said pump outlet and defining a fluid passageway for supplying fluid to a user;

a switch mounted on said dispensing tube in electrical communication with said pump, said switch for selectively actuating and deactuating said pump; and

a wire passing within said fluid passageway and electrically coupling said pump with said switch;

at least partially filling said fluid reservoir with a potable fluid; and

operating said pump to deliver the potable fluid from said fluid reservoir through said dispensing tube and to a mouth of a user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said outer bag and said dispensing tube are resistant to environmental contamination.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

said outer bag is formed of a material which is resistant to one or both of chemical agents and biological agents; and

said dispensing tube is formed of a material which is resistant to one or both of chemical agents and biological agents.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said pump is operated by actuating said switch by the user on said dispensing tube and electrically coupled to said pump.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said switch is resistant to any one or more of:

environmental contamination, chemical agents, and biological agents.

18. A portable hydration system, comprising:

an outer bag;

a fluid reservoir for containing a volume of a potable fluid removably received within said outer bag, said fluid reservoir having a fluid outlet;

a pump received within said outer bag, said pump having an inlet and an outlet, said pump inlet being in fluid communication with said reservoir outlet, said pump outlet including a nozzle extending through an opening in said outer bag;

one or more sealing members for sealing said operating in said outer bag relative to said pump outlet;

a dispensing tube coupled to said pump outlet and defining a fluid passageway for supplying fluid to a user;

said nozzle including a flange adjacent an interior surface of said outer bag and a conduit portion extending from the flange through the opening in the outer bag;

a clamping ring attached to the flange, said clamping ring circumscribing the conduit portion adjacent an exterior facing surface of said outer bag to provide a clamping engagement between the clamping ring, the outer bag, and the flange;

said one or more sealing members disposed between one or both of;

the flange and the interior surface of the outer bag; and

the clamping ring and the exterior facing surface of said outer bag.