Self-heating fluid container

• US 8,319,154 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2006
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yoomi Limited
• Original Assignee: Jim Shaikh
• Inventors: Shaikh, Jim, Hartwanger, David, Watkinson, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): PELHAM, JOSEPH MOORE
• Application Number:
  US11/793,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20080087270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,421 Days
• Field of Search: 219/200, 219/386, 219/387, 219/528, 219/621, 392/339, 392/341, 392/477, 392/496, 126/263.04, 126/263.05, 126/263.06, 126/263.08, 126/263.09, 126/400
• US Class Current: 219/387
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/2411 Baby bottle warmers; Devices for warming baby food in jars
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/28 Warming devices generating the heat by exothermic reactions, e.g. heat released by the contact of unslaked lime with water
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/028 Control arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage

Abstract

A self-heating fluid connector comprising a housing in which is provided exothermic phase change material and one or more fluid channels extending from one end of the housing to the other, in thermal communication with the exothermic phase change material, whereby fluid passing through the fluid conduits is heated by the exothermic phase change material. The self-heating connector is particularly suited for use with a fluid container and a fluid delivery port such as a baby'"'"'s bottle and feeding teat.

Claims

1. A portable self-heating fluid connector comprising:

a portable housing having first and second opposed ends and at least one thermally conductive wall extending between the first and second opposed ends, the at least one thermally conductive wall defining in combination with the first and second ends a compartment therebetween, the housing being adapted for mounting within a fluid container having an inner surface;

an exothermic phase change material located within the compartment of the housing;

at least one barrier projecting outwardly from an exterior surface of the at least one thermally conductive wall of the housing; and

at least one initiator mounted in the housing for activating the exothermic phase change material,

whereby when the fluid connector is in use in a fluid container, the exterior surface of the at least one thermally conductive wall, the at least one barrier and a portion of an inner surface of the fluid container adjacent the fluid connector define, in combination, one or more fluid conduits which extend between the first and second ends of the housing such that the one or more fluid conduits are in thermal communication with the exothermic phase change material and

when the exothermic phase change material is activated heat is transferred to fluid caused to flow along the one or more fluid conduits.

2. A portable self-heating fluid connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second end is adapted for attachment to a fluid delivery port.

3. A portable self-heating fluid connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second ends includes sealing means for forming a fluid seal with the fluid container or a fluid delivery port.

4. A portable self-heating fluid connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the initiator is a manually operable device mounted for inward movement relative to the housing, the manually operable device having an uneven surface facing towards the interior of the housing for contact with the exothermic phase change material.

5. A portable self-heating fluid connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the manually operable device consists of a plastics material.

6. A portable self-heating fluid connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the exothermic phase change material is selected from the group sodium acetate trihydrate, lithium acetate dihydrate, calcium chloride dihydrate, calcium nitrate tetrahydrate, magnesium chloride hexahydrate, managanese sulphate hydrate and ferric chloride hexahydrate.

7. A portable self-heating fluid connector as claimed in claim 1, further including temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the heated fluid at the second end of the fluid connector.

8. A portable self-heating fluid connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein said temperature control means comprises a bypass conduit which is thermally insulated from the heat generating material whereby fluid passing through the bypass conduit is unheated and mixes with the heated fluid at the second end of the fluid connector to thereby lower the temperature of the heated fluid.

9. A portable self-heating fluid connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein the bypass conduit includes a flow control valve for controlling the rate of flow of fluid through the bypass conduit in dependence on the temperature of the heated fluid at the second end of the fluid connector.

10. A portable self-heating fluid connector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an electrically resistive material in the exothermic phase change material and electrical connection means connected to the electrically resistive material, the electrical connection means being adapted for connection to a source of electricity whereby the electrically resistive material functions as an internal heating element when connected to the source of electricity.

11. A portable self-heating fluid connector as claimed in claim 10, further including a source of electricity provided with the fluid connector.

12. A portable self-heating fluid connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein the source of electricity comprises one or more batteries.

13. A portable self-heating fluid connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more fluid channels are interconnected.

14. A portable self-heating fluid connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the barriers include fluid sealing means at their outermost edges for forming a fluid seal with the inner surface of the fluid container.

15. A portable self-heating fluid connector as claimed in claim 14, wherein the harriers are at least semi-rigid.

16. A portable self-heating container comprising:

a portable fluid container having a fluid outlet and an inner surface;

a self-heating fluid connector mounted within the fluid container; and

,

one or more fluid conduits,

the self-heating fluid connector having;

a housing with first and second opposed ends and at least one thermally conductive wall extending between the first and second opposed ends, the at least one thermally conductive wall defining in combination with the first and second ends a compartment therebetween;

an exothermic phase change material located within the compartment of the housing; and

at least one barrier projecting outwardly from an exterior surface of the thermally conductive wall of the housing, whereby

the one or more fluid conduits extend between the first and second ends of the housing and are defined by, in combination, the exterior surface of the at least one thermally conductive wall of the housing, the at least one barrier and a portion of the inner surface of the fluid container adjacent the self-heating fluid connector such that the one or more fluid conduits are in thermal communication with the exothermic phase change material, the self-heating container further comprising

at least one initiator for activating the exothermic phase change material in the compartment of the self-heating fluid connector, whereby when the exothermic phase change material is activated heat is transferred to fluid caused to flow along the one or more fluid conduits to the fluid outlet of the fluid container.

17. A self-heating container as claimed in claim 16, further including a fluid delivery port.

18. A portable self-heating fluid connector as claimed in claim 16, wherein the self-heating fluid connector is releasably mounted within the portable fluid container.

19. A self-heating baby'"'"'s feeding bottle comprising:

a portable fluid container including an inner surface and a baby'"'"'s feeding teat;

a self-heating fluid connector mounted within the fluid container; and

,

one or more fluid conduits,

the self-heating fluid connector having;

a housing with first and second opposed ends and at least one thermally conductive wall extending between the first and second opposed ends, the at least one thermally conductive wall defining in combination with the first and second ends a compartment therebetween;

an exothermic phase change material located within the compartment of the housing; and

at least one barrier projecting outwardly from an exterior surface of the at least one thermally conductive wall of the housing, whereby

the one or more fluid conduits extend between the first and second ends of the housing and are defined by, in combination, the exterior surface of the at least one thermally conductive wall of the housing, the at least one barrier and a portion of the inner surface of the fluid container adjacent the self-heating fluid connector such that the one or more fluid conduits are in thermal communication with the exothermic phase change material, the self-heating baby'"'"'s feeding bottle further comprising;

at least one initiator for activating the exothermic phase change material in the compartment of the self-heating fluid connector, whereby when the exothermic phase change material is activated heat is transferred to fluid caused to flow through the fluid conduits to the baby'"'"'s feeding teat of the fluid container.

20. A self-heating baby'"'"'s feeding bottle as claimed in claim 19 further including a valve for controlling a flow of air into the bottle.

21. A self-heating baby'"'"'s feeding bottle as claimed in claim 19, further including a heat indicator.

22. The self-heating baby'"'"'s feeding bottle as claimed in claim 19, wherein the self-heating fluid connector is releasably mounted within the portable fluid container.