Patent Application
20080216340
The invention relates to fluid bladders and, in particular, to a device for assisting in fluid removal and/or drying of moisture from within the fluid bladder.
Currently, many devices are known that utilize a generally fluid/gas impermeable bladder. For instance, personal water reservoirs, hydration packs, or hydration bladders are utilized by outdoorsman, hikers, campers, and the like to transport water supplies while in places remote from trusted sources of potable water.
The concept of these packs is similar to that of a canteen, though the impermeable bladder is typically a soft and pliable (though relatively tough) plastic, in comparison to a canteen that is generally a rigid device made of metal (such as corrosion-resistant aluminum) or a polymeric material. Being somewhat soft, and often encased in a covering of nylon or the like, these devices are relatively comfortable when worn on a person's back, and the device collapses as it is drained, thus reducing its bulk.
Preferably, a port for delivering water (or other fluid, though preferably a potable fluid) to a person is located on the device. Often, the port is connected by a tube so that a person wearing the device merely needs to suck on the tube to draw fluid into their mouth. For a rigid canteen, such would be difficult due to the inability of the canteen to collapse, thus resulting in a negative pressure within the canteen fluid storage compartment. In some instances, the port may be located on a lower portion of the bladder so that gravity assists the water through the tube, and the bladder is simply free to collapse as it is drained.
One of the major problems with these devices is removing water and drying the bladder. First of all, it should be recognized that bacteria grows virtually wherever there is stagnant water. Accordingly, the bladder device should be dried before storing after a trip is done or the use of the bladder is, at least for the time being, no longer necessary or desired. For instance, someone may take the device to the beach for the day, and then want to put the device in a closet upon returning home. However, as long as water remains therein, there is the potential for growing bacteria, or mold, or other things considered unhealthy for humans. For instance, the bladder may develop black mold similar to what is witnessed underneath bathtub caulking.
It should be noted that bladders may be cleaned in various manners. For instance, mild detergent may be used prior to storage (or after) which may stave off or eliminate pathogens. However, it is still difficult to rinse the bladder of the detergent. The detergent, or other chemicals, may attack or degrade the polymeric material of the bladder over time. Boiling water may also have a negative effect on the polymeric material.
One of the best ways to eliminate or reduce the likelihood of pathogens within the bladder is simply to allow the interior of the device to completely air-dry in a well-ventilated area before putting in storage, and to do so in a manner that allows air flow through the bladder itself. Of course, it is also desirable to rinse the bladder interior before subsequent use.
However, the softness and desirable collapsibility of the bladder device lends to difficulties in air-drying the device. That is, if one were to leave the bladder device for some period of time to dry, it is not unlike trying to keep a children's balloon open without the balloon being sealed. Of course, the bladder cannot be sealed during the drying, or else the evaporating moisture has no way of evacuating the bladder to the atmosphere.
Some devices currently exist for assisting in drying bladders. One type has a portion inserted into the bladder fill-hole. An electric motor forces air through this portion into the bladder, the air serving to dry the interior as the air is forced out from the fill hole and from the drink tube. This is a multi-component, expensive, electric based system.
Another type includes a side portions that are pulled rearwardly to collapse the device for insertion, and then the side portions return to a natural position once inserted within the bladder. However, this is a two-dimensional device that is not effective at holding the bladder open, particular at the edges of the interior space.
Accordingly, there has been a need for an improved method and system for drying bladders of personal fluid reservoirs.
In accordance with an aspect, a device for drying a personal fluid reservoir is disclosed. A section of the drying device may be inserted within the reservoir, or bladder, that substantially holds the device in an open position filled with air and in fluid communicating with the atmosphere. The drying device may have a second section for supporting the drying device and the bladder during drying and/or storage.
In one form, the inserted section may be rigid. The rigid section may have a size greater than an opening to the interior of the bladder. The rigid section may be shaped to allow passage of the rigid section into the opening by portions. The portions may be elongated portions extending in a plurality of directions. The rigid section may be shifted and advanced relative to the bladder, such as by rotating or screwing into the bladder, so as to be fed into the opening. The shifting of the rigid section may be linear, or it may be somewhat circular or rotational so as to feed the portions into the opening. The portions may be portions of a helix, or a spiral, a three-dimensional zig-zag, a combination thereof, or the like. In some forms, the inserted section has a rounded terminus or leading portion for initial insertion.
In another aspect, a method of drying a bladder is disclosed. The steps of the method may include inserting a section of a drying device within the bladder to allow air access to substantially the entirety of the interior surface of the bladder. The steps of the method may include inserting a rounded leading portion of the inserted section into an opening of the bladder, and feeding other portions of the inserted section to hold the bladder interior open to air. This step may include shifting the inserted section relative to the bladder in a direction other than the advancing direction to feed different portions of the inserted section through the opening. This step may include rotating the bladder relative to the inserted section while advancing the inserted section into the opening of the bladder.
According, a device for assisting in removal and moisture from a fluid reservoir having an interior cavity and an opening for access the interior cavity is disclosed, the device including an insertion section receivable within the fluid reservoir for holding the interior cavity in an open position. The device may further include a support section connected to the insertion section, the support section adapted to position the insertion section and the fluid reservoir located thereon away from a ground surface or like. The support section may include an upwardly extending portion positioning the opening of the fluid reservoir above the ground surface, and laterally extending portions for supporting the device and bladder thereon. The insertion section may extend in a first direction from the support section, the first direction having at least a horizontal component, and the laterally extending portions may extend at least in part towards the first direction. The laterally extending portions may include a first leg being angled from the horizontal component, and a second leg being angled from the horizontal component in an opposite manner to the first leg. The device may include a rearwardly extending leg extending from the support section in a direction generally opposite the horizontal component of the direction of the insertion portion.
The insertion section may extend in a direction having a horizontal component leading away from the support section, and may be angled upwardly from the support section so that fluid or moisture within the fluid reservoir drains towards the support section.
The insertion section is preferably three-dimensional so that, when received within the fluid reservoir, portions of the fluid reservoir are held apart to permit fluid flow and air passage within the fluid reservoir.
The insertion section may include portions of elongated structure, the insertion section having a profile greater than the opening of the fluid reservoir, and the elongated structure having a profile smaller than the opening of the fluid reservoir so that the insertion section may be fed into the opening. The insertion section may generally comprise circular portions. The insertion section may generally comprise a series of coils. The coils may have varying sizes.
The insertion section may have a leading tip adapted to assist feeding of the insertion section within the fluid reservoir. The leading tip may include a rounded surface.
In another aspect, a drying device for a bladder of a personal hydration device for storing and carrying potable water is disclosed, the drying device including an insertion section receivable within the bladder so that portions of the bladder are held away from other portions of the bladder, thereby permitting fluid flow from the bladder through an opening thereof, the insertion section receivable within the bladder via the bladder opening, the insertion section having a profile larger than the opening and including at least elongated portions, the elongated portions having a profile smaller than the opening so that the elongated portions may be sequentially received into the opening. The drying device may further include a support section, wherein the insertion section is supported by the support section so that the insertion section supports the bladder thereon at an angle relative to a horizontal direction to allow water from the bladder to flow toward the opening through which the insertion section is received by the bladder. The elongated portions may include a series of coils, and the insertion section may be receivable within the bladder by rotating and advancing the insertion and bladder relative to each other.
In another aspect, a method of assisting in removal of fluid or moisture from an interior of a fluid reservoir, the method including the step of sequentially feeding portions of a three-dimensional device within the fluid reservoir through an opening thereof to hold portions of the fluid reservoir apart, and including the step of supporting the fluid reservoir in a position to allow fluid or moisture therein to drain towards the fluid reservoir opening. The step of sequentially feeding may include rotating and advancing the fluid reservoir and device relative to each other.
Referring initially to
As seen in
With reference to
The insertion section 20 is preferably three-dimensional, as noted above. That is, while a generally two-dimensional device may be constructed which reaches the extents of the interior of the bladder 12, a three-dimensional insertion section 20 holds apart various portions of the bladder 12, such as side panels 112 and 114, so that the natural adhesion and cohesion of the water molecules between each other and with the surface of the interior of the bladder 12 do not prevent or impede the water from migrating towards the port 14, and so that air has access to the extents of the interior of the bladder 12 so whatever moisture that does not migrate toward the port 14 is minimal enough that air is able to assist in evaporating such moisture. It should be noted that the terms water and moisture used herein are for convenience and are meant to encompass not only potable drinking supplies by also any other fluid that may be stored in such a device.
In the preferred embodiment, the insertion section 20 is a circular coil or helix of elongated structure, such as wire, for instance. More precisely, the insertion section 20 includes a series of coils 40 that vary from a first small coil 40a located at the leading end 34, a center coil 40b approximately midway along the insertion section, and a second small coil 40c located at the proximal end 32. Between the first small coil 40a and the center coil 40b, as well as between the center coil 40b and the second small coil 40c, are coils 40d of progressively varying intermediate size. The size difference or variance between each adjacent coil 40 of the coils 40a-40d may be linear, or may be non-linear. Preferably, the insertion section 20 is slightly smaller in its center (proximate to and/or including the center coil 40c or a portion thereof) than for portions immediately adjacent thereto.
The terminal or leading end 34 of the insertion section 20 further includes an insertion tip 42 for assisting in feeding of the insertion section 20 into the bladder 12. In the present embodiment, the insertion tip 42 is shaped as a bent portion so that the insertion tip 42 has a leading rounded surface 44. When the insertion section 20 is fed into the bladder 12, the rounded surface 44 resists catching on the soft material of the bladder 12 and allows the insertion section 20 to be easily fed into the bladder 12.
The insertion section 20 is designed so that the insertion tip 42 may be fed through the port 14 and into the cavity 106, and the rest of the insertion section 20 may be subsequently fed thereinto. In the embodiment shown as a helix or coil, the bladder 12 and insertion section 20 may be rotated (and advanced) relative to each other so that the coils 40 that are generally larger than the port 14 may be sequentially fed into the opening. In should be noted that a series of straight portions, arranged in a three-dimensional zig-zag configuration, would also be suitable, though perhaps less desirable. To assist this feeding of the insertion section 20 into the bladder 12, it may be desirable to have one or more of the insertion section 20, support section 22, and extension 23 releasably connected at one or more of the joints 24, 36. This would allow one to simply rotate the bladder 12 in one direction with one hand while rotating the insertion section 20 with a second hand to feed the insertion section 20 through the port 14 and into the bladder 12, while also advancing the bladder 12 and insertion section 20 towards each other, without the support section 22 hindering this motion.
The extension 23 an upwardly extending and preferably generally vertical section. The support section 22 also includes supporting legs 52 laterally extending from the extension 23. As shown in
When the insertion section 20 is located within the bladder 12, any water or moisture therein desirably drains from the bladder 12 through the port 14. The bladder 12 arranged around the insertion section 20 has a centerline 12a (
To reduce the restriction or impedance of this flow, a section 46a of the bottom portion 46 of each coil 40 has an offset or curvilinear notch 46b therein, as best seen in
In one form, the insertion section 20 is collapsible. For instance, the insertion section 20 may be compressed in its longitudinal direction so that the coils 40 are compressed to a generally flat arrangement. This may be done for storage purposes, for instance, of the insertion section 20.
While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
