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The disclosure and prior art relate to heating devices and more particularly pertains to a new heating device for on demand heating of fluids for feeding a child.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a pipe that is coupled to and extends from a control module, which comprises a power module. A first and a second tube are coupled to and extend from a first and a second end of the pipe, respectively. A terminus of the first tube is positionable in a reservoir that contains a fluid. A nipple that is coupled to the second tube distal from the pipe is configured to be positioned in a mouth of a child, positioning the child to suck on the nipple to draw the fluid from the reservoir through the first tube into the pipe. A heating element in the pipe heats the fluid as it passes through the pipe. The fluid then passes through the second tube and a hole in the nipple into the mouth of the child.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
The power module 18 comprises a battery 22, which is rechargeable. A slot 24 that extends into a base 26 of the housing 14 is complementary to the battery 22 so that the battery 22 is selectively positionable in the slot 24 to removably couple the battery 22 to the housing 14. A port 28 that is positioned in the housing 14 proximate to the base 26 is operationally coupled to the power module 18. The port 28 is selectively couplable to a cord that is coupled to a source of alternating current to recharge the battery 22.
A control panel 30 is coupled to the housing 14 and is operationally coupled to the microprocessor 20. The control panel 30 is configured for input a temperature setpoint into the microprocessor 20. The control panel 30 comprises a first button 32 and a second button 34, which are depressible. The first button 32 is configured to be depressed to increase the temperature setpoint. The second button 34 is configured to be depressed to decrease the temperature setpoint.
A display 36 and a power button 38 are coupled to the housing 14 and are operationally coupled to the microprocessor 20. The microprocessor 20 is positioned to signal the display 36 to selectively present the temperature setpoint and a temperature reading to the user. The power button 38 is configured to be depressed a first time to signal the microprocessor 20 to power up the control module 12 and to be depressed a second time to depower the control module 12.
A pipe 40 is coupled to and extends bidirectionally from an upper face 42 of the control module 12. A heating element 44 is coiledly embedded in the pipe 40, as shown in
A pair of first contacts 52 is coupled to the pipe 40. The first contacts 52 are operationally coupled to the heating element 44. A pair of second contacts 54 is coupled to the upper face 42 of the control module 12. The second contacts 54 are operationally coupled the power module 18 so that each second contact 54 is positioned to contact a respective first contact 52, as the pipe 40 is inserted into the channel 50, to electrically couple the heating element 44 to the power module 18.
A first tube 56 is coupled to and extends from a first end 58 of the pipe 40 so that the first tube 56 is fluidically coupled to the pipe 40. A terminus 60 of the first tube 56 that is distal from the pipe 40 is configured to be positioned in a reservoir that contains a fluid, such a breast milk, baby formula, or the like.
A second tube 62 is coupled and extends from a second end 64 of the pipe 40 so that the second tube 62 is fluidically coupled to the pipe 40. The heating element 44 is configured to heat the fluid as it passes through the pipe 40. The second tube 62 and the first tube 56 are removably couplable to the pipe 40 so that the second tube 62 and the first tube 56 are configured to be cleaned separately from the pipe 40. The second tube 62 and the first tube 56 comprise silicone so that the second tube 62 and the first tube 56 are configured to be positioned in at least one of boiling water and a dishwasher to clean and sterilize the second tube 62 and the first tube 56.
A temperature probe 66 is coupled to the pipe 40 proximate to the second end 64, as shown in
A nipple 68 is coupled to the second tube 62 distal from the pipe 40. The nipple 68 is configured to be positioned in a mouth of a child, positioning the child to suck on the nipple 68 so that the fluid is suctionally drawn from the reservoir through the first tube 56 into the pipe 40. The heating element 44 is configured to heat the fluid as it passes through the pipe 40 to the second tube 62. The fluid passes through the second tube 62 and a hole 70 in the nipple 68 into the mouth of the child. The nipple 68 comprises at least one of rubber, silicone, and plastic.
One advantage of the device 10 is that only the quantity of fluid that passes through the pipe 40 is actually heated. When the child is done feeding, the fluid remaining in the reservoir can be placed back in a cooling environment, such as a refrigerator, cooler, or the like, to preserve the fluid and to prevent waste.
The hole 70 in the nipple 68 comprises a plurality of orifices 72 so that the plurality of orifices 72 mimics a plurality of milk duct orifices of a mammary papilla. The plurality of orifices 72 comprises from two to twenty orifices 72. The plurality of orifices 72 comprises three orifices 72, as shown in
A third tube 74 is coupled to the nipple 68 distal from the hole 70 so that the third tube 74 is positioned to insert the second tube 62 to removably couple the second tube 62 to the nipple 68, as shown in
A valve 80 is coupled to and is positioned in the third tube 74, as shown in
A panel 82 is coupled to the third tube 74 proximate to the nipple 68, as shown in
In use, the terminus 60 of the first tube 56 is positioned in the reservoir that contains the fluid, such the breast milk. The first button 32 and the second button 34 used to adjust the temperature setpoint as desired. The nipple 68 is positioned in the mouth of the child, positioning the child to suck on the nipple 68 so that the fluid is suctionally drawn from the reservoir through the first tube 56 into the pipe 40. The heating element 44 warms the fluid as it passes through the pipe 40 to the second tube 62. The fluid passes through the second tube 62 and the hole 70 in the nipple 68 into the mouth of the child.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.