Combined milk bottle heater and cooler

Abstract

A combined type warm bottle / cold bottle device comprises a heat-conducting medium plate which is in heat-conducting contact with a thermoelectric module. The liquid may be in thermally conductive contact with the dielectric plate. The temperature sensor can sense the temperature of the dielectric plate. The controller may receive the temperature readings of the sensor and apply a voltage difference to the thermoelectric module to heat or cool the liquid.

Description

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 433,929, filed on December 20, 2022, entitled "Combined Bottle Warmer and Cooler", the entire content of which is incorporated herein and should be considered part of this disclosure. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention generally relates to the field of temperature - controlled chambers, and more particularly, to temperature - controlled chambers for heating and cooling liquids. Background Art

[0004] The methods described in this section are all implementable methods, but not necessarily methods that have been previously conceived or implemented. Thus, unless otherwise indicated, no method described in this section should be considered to satisfy the conditions of the prior art merely because it is included in this section.

[0005] In the first few years after a baby is born, they rely on breast milk or formula for nutrition. Some parents use bottle feeding to provide breast milk and / or infant formula for their babies. However, bottle feeding also presents some challenges. Breast milk and formula are perishable and need to be stored at low temperatures. However, when feeding, many babies prefer warm or body - temperature milk. Breast milk or formula have different temperature requirements for storage and feeding, which are easier to meet at home. But when parents want to bottle - feed their babies outside the home, these requirements become particularly difficult due to limited kitchen utensils. At home, parents can store formula or breast milk in the refrigerator or freezer and safely heat the milk using various kitchen utensils when needed. For example, a bottle filled with cold milk can be placed in a cup, and then hot water or boiling water can be poured into the cup so that the bottle is partially submerged in the water and the milk is heated from the outside of the bottle. However, outdoors, parents have limited access to kitchen utensils such as refrigerators or kettles.

[0006] Whether or not there are heating and cooling devices, using these devices to heat and cool infant formula indoors or outdoors may not be precise enough, frustrating parents. For example, while parents can use a freezer or insulated container to store milk at a lower temperature without a refrigerator, the temperature in the freezer or insulated container will rise over time, forcing parents to use or discard the milk, or find other cooling methods. This can lead to unsafe storage or spoilage of precious breast milk or formula. Similarly, for feeding, it may not be precise enough to reach the optimal feeding temperature in a timely manner for a hungry baby. For example, dipping a bottle of cold milk into warm or boiling water may make the milk too hot, requiring other methods to cool the milk to a level that is safe for the baby to drink. For example, parents may need to use an ice bath or put the bottle back in the refrigerator or freezer to quickly bring the milk temperature back to a safe drinking temperature. Parents may need to heat and cool the bottle several times, trying repeatedly until the safe drinking temperature is reached. Cooling and heating the bottle in this way can be frustrating for parents when they are trying to feed a hungry and crying baby. This problem is only exacerbated for caregivers in daycare centers and nurseries, as they need to cool and / or heat multiple bottles for multiple babies throughout the day.

[0007] Heating and cooling milk using traditional methods (such as dipping the bottle into hot or cold water) can be very imprecise, but many existing breast milk and formula storage and heating solutions rely on such techniques. For example, some mobile infant storage and heating solutions require parents to store the milk-filled bottle in a refrigerator or cooler and carry a thermos container filled with hot water and a heating container. When it's time to feed the baby, the parents take the bottle out of the cooler and place it in the heating container. The parents can pour the hot water from the thermos into the heating container to partially immerse the bottle in the hot water and thus heat the milk inside the bottle. This technique and similar techniques, in addition to being imprecise, can cause additional trouble if the bottle is too light to be immersed in the water and cannot effectively transfer heat from the hot water to the milk.

[0008] Another frustrating aspect of some existing bottle cooling and heating solutions is that these two essential functions need to be achieved through two separate solutions, which requires parents to carry one solution for cooling and storage, and one solution for heating and preparing for feeding. For example, some heating solutions provide a heat-conducting cavity that contacts a heating coil hidden inside the housing. Parents can pour milk into this cavity. The heating coil can heat the cavity and the milk inside. Some cooling solutions are essentially a double-cavity housing where the inner cavity and the outer cavity are thermally insulated, leaving space between the cavities for placing ice cubes or ice water. The outer cavity exposed to the external environment is designed with thermal insulation, such as using double walls or vacuum insulation, to isolate the heat outside the housing and the inner cavity. Breast milk poured into the inner cavity can be kept cold. These solutions and similar ones achieve the refrigeration or heating function through separate devices. Parents usually need to carry and use two different devices or solutions, one for refrigeration and one for heating. In addition, transferring breast milk or formula from one device to another may pose a risk of cross-contamination, thus reducing the expected effectiveness of these devices. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The appended claims may serve as the abstract of this application. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] The accompanying drawings and the related descriptions provided herein are for illustrating specific embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0011] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing how parents use a combined bottle warmer and cooler device according to an embodiment is shown.

[0012] Figure 2 An external view of the combined bottle warmer and cooler device is shown.

[0013] Figure 3 An internal component diagram of the combined bottle warmer and cooler device is shown.

[0014] Figure 4 A flowchart showing the operation method of the controller of the combined bottle warmer and cooler is shown.

[0015] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing an alternative embodiment of the combined bottle warmer and cooler device is shown. Detailed Description of the Embodiments

[0016] The following detailed description of certain embodiments presents various descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention can be embodied in many different ways as defined and covered by the claims. In this specification, reference is made to the drawings, in which the same reference numerals may represent the same or functionally similar elements.

[0017] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. All patents, patent applications, and publications cited in this disclosure are incorporated by reference in their entirety. If a term has multiple definitions herein, the definition in this section shall prevail. Unless otherwise stated, when the terms "a", "an", or "one" are used herein, they mean "at least one" or "one or more".

[0018] Figure 1 Schematic diagrams 101, 103, 105, and 107 are shown, demonstrating how parents use the bottle heating and cooling combination device 100 according to one embodiment. In schematic diagram 101, the device 100 is shown side by side with a typical baby bottle 102. The device 100 can be implemented in various ways. In one embodiment, the device 100 can include a housing 104 that is partially wrapped by a heat-conducting medium 106. The housing 104 can also include threads 108 that are shaped to match and capable of receiving the threads on the reservoir portion of the bottle 102, or include an adapter through which the bottle 102 can be detachably connected to the threads 108. The internal components of the device 100 can heat and cool the medium 106, as described below.

[0019] The bottle 102 generally includes a nipple portion 110, a cap ring 112, and a milk reservoir 114. The nipple portion 110 can be detachably connected to the cap ring 112 and held firmly in place. The cap ring 112 can be rotatably connected to the threads at the mouth of the milk reservoir 114, thereby forming a seal between the milk reservoir 114 and the nipple portion 110 such that the liquid in the milk reservoir 114 can only flow out from the top of the nipple portion 110, allowing the baby to suck milk from the bottle through the nipple portion 110. Figure 103 shows that the cap ring 112 and the nipple portion 110 have been detached from the milk reservoir 114 so that the device 100 can be connected to the top of the milk reservoir 114, where the nipple portion 110 and the cap ring 112 were previously connected. The device 100 can be rotatably attached to the reservoir 114 through the threads 108. In some embodiments, the device 100 and the reservoir 114 can be attached through an adapter that has threads compatible with both the device 100 and the reservoir 114 on both sides.

[0020] Figure 105 shows how the device 100 connected to the reservoir 114 can be flipped or rotated along the direction of gravity so that the liquid in the reservoir 114 contacts the medium 106 under the action of gravity. Figure 105 shows the orientation of the device 100 connected to the reservoir 114 through which the liquid in the reservoir can be stored at a low temperature or heated to a safe and ideal feeding temperature. The medium 106 (not visible in Figure 105) can dissipate heat. During the cooling operation, the system releases heat from the liquid, while during the heating operation, the system heats the liquid. A software application that communicates wirelessly with the device 100 allows parents to monitor or set the temperature of the liquid in the reservoir 114. Chart 107 shows when the breast milk in the reservoir is heated to the target temperature and ready for feeding. Parents can rotate the device and the reservoir along the direction of gravity so that the breast milk settles completely in the reservoir. Then, the parents can unscrew and remove the device 100 from the reservoir 114 and reinstall the nipple part 110 and the cap ring 112 to prepare the bottle for feeding.

[0021] To use the device 100 in the above embodiments, parents need to perform operations 120, 130, 140, and 150. In operation 120, the parents unscrew the nipple part 110 and the cap ring 112 from the bottle 102 and screw the device 100 onto the reservoir 114, as shown in Figure 103. In operation 130, the parents flip the device and the connected reservoir and place the reservoir on top of the device 100 along the direction of gravity so that gravity causes the liquid in the reservoir to contact the medium 106, as shown in Figure 105. Depending on the input received from the parents and / or the software application, the device 100 can cool the liquid for storage or heat the liquid for feeding. In operation 140, when the liquid is ready for feeding, the parents flip the device connected to the breast pump so that it is on top of the breast pump relative to the direction of gravity, thereby pulling the liquid in the breast pump out of the device and into the breast pump, as shown in Figure 103. When the liquid in the breast pump has completely accumulated, the parents can perform operation 150, such as removing the device 100 by a twisting action and then reinstalling the nipple part 102 and the cap ring 112 to prepare the bottle for feeding. If additional milk is needed for the remaining milk or for the next feeding, the parents can repeat operations 120, 130, 140, and 150.

[0022] Figure 2Shows an external schematic view of the combined bottle warmer and cooler 100 and its housing 104. The device 100 can communicate with the software application 202 wired or wirelessly via the network 204. The network 204 can be a wired or wireless communication network, but a wireless network is more preferred. The device 100 can be equipped with communication and / or power management ports (not shown). In a preferred embodiment, the device 100 includes a rechargeable battery (such as a lithium-ion rechargeable battery) and a compatible charging port for charging the battery. However, disposable batteries can also be used, and in some applications, disposable batteries may be more preferred.

[0023] The software application 202 can be a user interface through which parents can interact with the device 100. The software application 202 can be executed on various computing devices, including cloud infrastructure. For example, parents can run or otherwise access the software application 202 on a smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, smart glasses, laptop, and / or desktop computer. In some embodiments, the software application 202 can be a cloud-based application that allows parents to access the software application 202 or receive notifications from the software application 202 through any computing device authorized to access the software application 202. Various user interactions can be achieved through the software application 202. For example, when the reservoir 114 is connected to the device 100, parents can monitor the temperature of the reservoir 114 and receive various notifications and alerts related to the functions of the device 100, such as when the liquid reaches the target temperature or a low battery level is detected. The software application 202 can also be used to implement a scheduling function. For example, if a parent knows that the feeding time at 2:00 am is relatively regular, she can connect a breast milk storage container 114 to the device 100 and set the feeding time of the device 100. The device 100 will keep the breast milk at a low temperature until shortly before the predetermined feeding time, then switch to the heating mode (such as at 1:50 am) and reach a safe feeding temperature at 2:00 am. Parents can also adjust or input the cooling target temperature and the feeding target temperature according to the temperature of breast milk preferred by the baby.

[0024] In some embodiments, the functionality of the software application 202 can be implemented in whole or in part by external hardware and user interface elements (e.g., LED lights and / or one or more physical buttons placed outside the housing 104). Thus, the software application 202 is not necessary in every embodiment. In some embodiments, one or more physical buttons on the outer surface of the housing 104 can trigger preset or pre-programmed parameters of the operation of the device 100. For example, in some implementations of the device 100, one or more buttons on the outer surface of the housing 104 can be programmed to put the device 100 in various operation modes. One operation mode can be the "cooling mode", in which the device 100 aims at a preset cooling temperature (e.g., 40 degrees Fahrenheit). Another mode can be the "heating mode", in which the device 100 aims at a preset heating temperature (e.g., 99 degrees Fahrenheit).

[0025] The device 100 includes a housing 104, within which various components of the device 100 can be fixed. As will be described, some embodiments employ a combination of a radiator and a fan. In these embodiments, the housing 104 can include an air inlet 206 through which the fan can draw in fresh ambient air and blow it into the radiator, and discharge the hot air in the radiator to an air outlet 208.

[0026] The exterior of the device 100 can include user interface elements such as status light-emitting diodes (LEDs) 210, buttons 212, and a charging LED 214. The LEDs can light up in different colors or blink according to their functions. For example, the blue status LED 210 can indicate that the device 100 is cooling a liquid. The red blinking status LED 210 can indicate that the device 100 is heating a liquid. The constantly lit red status LED 210 can indicate that the liquid has reached the target feeding temperature. The blinking white status LED 210 can indicate an error message. Other uses of the LEDs and LED color coding can also be used for various status indications. Similarly, the charging LED 214 can be used to convey the charging status of the device 100 to the parent. The button 212 can be a multi-functional button. For example, pressing the button 212 once can cause the device to start cooling; holding the button 212 for a few seconds can cause the device 100 to start heating the liquid. Other uses of the button 212 can also be achieved. A person of ordinary skill in the art can construct the device 100 using the same or different external user interface elements without departing from the technology.

[0027] Figure 3 A schematic diagram 300 of the internal components of the device 100 is shown. Refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3, Schematic diagram 300 shows the internal components of device 100, relative to opening 302 at the top or mouth of housing 104. Opening 302 of housing 104 includes threads 108. The internal components of device 100 will be described along direction AB or the direction of gravity, i.e., the direction when device 100 is separated from reservoir 114 and placed on a surface. The top or mouth of device 100 is where threads 108 and medium 106 are located. Opening 302 may include medium 106 wrapping the internal components of device 100. In other words, medium 106 is an external component of device 100 that seals the internal components of device 100 from the outside. As previously described, medium 106 is in contact with the liquid in the connected reservoir. In some embodiments, a gasket between medium 106 and opening 302 seals the internal space of housing 104 and prevents any liquid in reservoir 114 from flowing into the internal components of device 100.

[0028] Device 100 may include a thermoelectric module 304 located near and below medium 106, which is in thermally conductive contact with medium 106. Thermoelectric module 304 may be a plate having a medium side 303 adjacent to and in thermally conductive contact with medium 106 and an opposite ambient side 305 away from medium 106. Applying a voltage difference across sides 303 and 305 of thermoelectric module 304 can create a temperature difference between sides 303 and 305. Thermoelectric module 304 may include wires 307 and 309, and thermoelectric module 304 may receive an applied current or voltage through wires 307 and 309. Depending on the direction and magnitude of the current flowing through wires 307 and 309, one side can absorb heat from the other side. By changing the direction of the current flowing through wires 307 and 309, the direction of heat transfer can be switched. Thus, thermoelectric module 304 can be used to heat or cool medium 106, and in turn heat or cool any fluid in thermally conductive contact with medium 106.

[0029] The voltage difference applied to thermoelectric module 304 creates a temperature difference between sides 303 and 305 of thermoelectric module 304. In some embodiments, this temperature difference can be relatively constant. In these embodiments, the temperature of ambient side 305 is kept as close as possible to the ambient temperature, so that medium side 303 can be made as cold or as hot as possible to reach or maintain a target temperature. To keep the ambient side 305 of thermoelectric module 304 as close as possible to the ambient temperature, a heat sink 308 can be used, which is located near and below thermoelectric module 304. Near and below heat sink 308, a fan 310 can be used to keep the temperature of the heat sink as close as possible to the ambient temperature by extracting heat from the heat sink and / or pushing air at ambient temperature into the heat sink. As Figure 2As shown, the intake port 206 and the outlet port 208 allow the fan and the radiator to draw in ambient-temperature air or discharge hot air into the environment, so that the ambient side 305 of the thermoelectric module 304 is as close as possible to the ambient temperature. Setting the ambient side 305 to the ambient temperature allows the medium side 303 to heat up or cool down as needed to reach or maintain the target temperature of the liquid.

[0030] The thermoelectric module 304 may include a ceramic plate with a plurality of embedded transistors that allow the temperature behavior of the module to be controlled by current or voltage. Switching the direction of the current and / or voltage applied to the wires 307, 309 can determine the direction of heat flow transfer between the sides 303, 305 of the thermoelectric module 304. In addition, the magnitude of the voltage or current applied to the wires 307, 309 can determine the rate of heat transfer between the sides 303, 305. Therefore, the direction and magnitude of the voltage and / or current applied to the wires 307, 309 can be adjusted to reach and / or maintain the target temperature of the thermoelectric module 304. In some embodiments, an H-bridge component can be used to switch the direction of the current and / or voltage applied to the wires 307, 309. Pulse width modulation (PWM) or duty cycle can also be used to control the magnitude of the current and / or voltage applied to the thermoelectric module 304, and thus control the temperature of the thermoelectric module 304.

[0031] The temperature sensor 306 can be attached to the medium 106 to provide a temperature reading based on which the direction and magnitude of the current and / or voltage applied to the thermoelectric module 304 can be adjusted to reach and / or maintain the target temperature. Various temperature sensors, including infrared or contact temperature sensors, can be used to implement the temperature sensor 306. The controller 312 can be used to receive the output of the temperature sensor 306 and adjust the current and / or voltage applied to the wires 307 and 309 based on the output of the temperature sensor 306 and the target temperature of the liquid in contact with the medium 106. In one embodiment, the controller 312 can be implemented in a cost-effective manner through a printed circuit board (PCB) and a plurality of transistors thereon to implement the firmware that controls the operation of the control device 100. The controller 312 can also include components for processing communication with external firmware (such as Figure 2 the software application 202 discussed in). Other logic or control circuits, such as a microprocessor, can also be used.

[0032] In some embodiments, the medium 106 is composed of a stainless steel plate, but any durable heat-conducting material can also be used. The medium 106 can be attached to the thermoelectric module 304 through a thermal paste material. The thermal paste material can be a flexible material that provides efficient heat transfer between components. Certain types of thermal paste can be permanently flexible and do not dry out, while other types of thermal paste can be a thermal glue that cures into a permanent glue form between components after drying. Both types of thermal paste can be used. Thermal paste can also be used between other components. For example, the interface between the heat sink 308 and the thermoelectric module 304 can also include thermal paste. The heat sink 308 can be constructed by extrusion manufacturing techniques, scraping manufacturing techniques, or other techniques. In some embodiments, the reservoir 114 and / or the attached device 100 can be wrapped in a removable thermal insulation sleeve to improve the overall thermal performance of the device and its attached reservoir system. In some embodiments, the reservoir 114 can be wrapped in a removable thermal insulation silicone to achieve better thermal performance. In other embodiments, the reservoir 114 can be constructed as a chamber with an internal thermal insulation compartment to maintain the temperature of milk or other liquids. For example, the reservoir 114 can be a vacuum-insulated bottle, the internal chamber of which is surrounded by a double-layer structure with a vacuum layer sandwiched between them. The sandwiching of the vacuum layer between the double-layer structure can significantly improve the heat preservation performance of the reservoir 114. Other thermal insulation chambers can also be used for the reservoir 114.

[0033] The power supply of the device 100 can be provided by one or more rechargeable batteries 314. Although four battery packs are shown, the described embodiments are not limited thereto. According to various implementations of the device 100, various battery packs with different numbers and capacities can be used. The controller 312 can also include a battery management module for managing the handling of the batteries to meet the specific application purposes of the device 100. For example, the duty cycle can be used as part of managing the battery power consumption to control the temperature of the thermoelectric module 304. For example, if the battery 314 can provide a maximum voltage of about 10 volts and if the controller 312 determines that the thermoelectric module 304 requires a voltage of 5 volts for 1 minute to maintain the target temperature, the controller 312 can pulse-width modulate the voltage of the battery 314 to 50% to apply an appropriate voltage to the thermoelectric module 304. The battery 314 can be implemented by various techniques, including lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, lithium polymer rechargeable batteries, or other rechargeable batteries. Although rechargeable batteries are preferred in certain embodiments, disposable batteries can also be used and may be better in some cases because parents can replace the batteries if they do not have a power source (e.g., during a remote camping trip). The battery 314 and other components can be fixed inside the housing 104 by various techniques. For example, brackets 316 and shelves 318 can be used to connect the internal components of the housing 104 to each other or to the brackets 316 and / or shelves 318.

[0034] Figure 4 FIG. 400 shows a flow chart of an operation method of the controller 312. The method starts at step 402. At step 404, the controller 312 may receive a target temperature of the liquid. The liquid in this application may be formula milk or breast milk. The target temperature may be received from the parent through the software application 202, or may be received through default parameters when no parent input is received. The target temperature may also be received through user interface elements on the housing of the device 100, such as through the Figure 2 button 212 shown. The target temperature may be a cooling temperature or a heating temperature. The cooling temperature is used for long-term heating and keeps the breast milk at a safe storage temperature to avoid spoilage. The heating temperature is used near feeding time and the breast milk needs to be heated to the target temperature (e.g., body temperature for feeding the baby).

[0035] At step 406, the controller 312 may receive a temperature reading of the medium 106 through the temperature sensor 306. At step 408, the controller 312 determines the amount and direction of the current and / or voltage applied to the thermoelectric module 304 so as to move the temperature of the medium 106 to the target temperature or maintain the temperature of the medium 106 at the target temperature. As previously described, the controller 312 may adjust the current and / or voltage applied to the thermoelectric module 304 to make the medium side 303 of the thermoelectric module 304 hotter or colder, depending on the difference between the temperature of the medium 106 and the target temperature received in step 404. At step 410, the controller 312 applies the magnitude and direction of the current and / or voltage determined in step 408. The controller 312 may continuously monitor the temperature of the medium 106 relative to the target temperature and / or any newly received target temperature, and repeat steps 404, 406, 408, and 410 to reach or maintain the target temperature. For example, when the device 100 is turned off and / or detached from any reservoir 114, the method ends at step 412.

[0036] Figure 5A schematic diagram showing an alternative embodiment of device 100 is presented. Relative to the above-mentioned device 100, device 502 extends in the vertical direction BA to include chamber 508. In addition to chamber 508, device 502 also includes the same components as device 100 above. Chamber 508 is thermally coupled to medium 106, for example, through thermal paste or welding. Alternatively, chamber 508 and medium 106 can be forged into a single component from the same thermally conductive material. Medium 106 is thermally coupled to thermoelectric module 304. Not all components of device 502 are shown in the figure, but they are the same as those of device 100 above and in the same orientation. Chamber 508 can be insulated using various techniques to improve the thermal performance of device 502. For example, chamber 508 can be a double-walled vacuum-sealed chamber. To use device 502, a parent can pour breast milk into chamber 508 and cover device 502 with lid 510. Device 502 can sense the temperature of medium 106 and cool or heat chamber 508 by applying a voltage difference to thermoelectric module 304 in the same manner as above. When the breast milk is ready for feeding, the parent can open lid 510, lift device 502, and pour the breast milk in chamber 508 into milk storage 114 of feeding bottle 102 for feeding. Compared with device 100 above, device 502 is more intuitive to use because it does not require the parent to perform the Figure 1 operations 120, 130, 140, and 150 described above.

[0037] Device 504 is also similar to device 100, but medium 106 includes a rod-shaped portion 512. Medium 106 in device 504 includes a plate-shaped portion similar to medium 106 in device 100 and a rod-shaped portion perpendicular to the plate-shaped portion. The rod-shaped portion can be made of the same material as medium 106 and can establish a thermal connection with the liquid in bottle 102 without flipping device 504. In some embodiments, both the plate-shaped portion and the rod-shaped portion of medium 106 are made of the same material or forged into a single component. Parents can unscrew nipple portion 110 and cap ring 112 from feeding bottle 102 and twist device 504 onto the top of liquid storage 114. The rod portion of medium 106 can be inserted into the liquid in liquid storage 114, thereby providing a thermal connection between the liquid and medium 106. Device 504 can provide the same functions as device 100. In addition, device 504 can heat and cool the liquid in liquid storage 114 without flipping or rotating device 504 and the connected liquid storage 114. Except for adding the rod portion to medium 106, the other components of device 504 are the same as those of device 100. Therefore, device 504 can also operate like device 100. For example, it can be operated by parents as Figure 1Operations 120, 130, 140, and 150 as shown. When performing operations 120, 130, 140, and 150, the liquid in container 114 can be heated or cooled through the plate and rod portions of medium 106. Alternatively, instead of the parent having to flip attachment device 504 to provide thermal contact with medium 106, the rod portion can be relied upon to provide thermal connection to the liquid.

[0038] In some embodiments, device 100 can be connected to reservoir 114 via adapter 514. In this way, device 100 can be made in a single size but can be connected to bottles of various shapes via various bottle-compatible adapters 514. Adapter 514 can include device-side threads 516, which are shaped to removably connect adapter 514 to threads 108 in housing 104 via a twisting motion. Adapter 514 also includes reservoir-side threads 518, which are shaped to removably connect adapter 514 to threads 520 in reservoir 114. Once device 100 is connected to reservoir 114 via adapter 514, device 100 can operate as described above with respect to Figure 1-4 the description.

[0039] Although these embodiments are described in the context of maintaining the target temperature of breast milk and infant formula for feeding infants, those of ordinary skill in the art can apply the same techniques to other applications. For example, the techniques can be applied to any application that requires maintaining the target temperature of a liquid. Examples include medical device applications, industrial temperature-controlled liquid reservoirs of various shapes and sizes, consumer insulated tea cups and coffee cups, and other applications.

[0040] Embodiments

[0041] It should be understood that the present disclosure can include any one of the following examples and up to all of the embodiments.

[0042] Example 1: A device comprising: a housing encapsulating a thermally conductive medium, a thermoelectric module, a temperature sensor, and a controller, the thermoelectric module being thermally coupled to the medium, wherein the thermoelectric module has a medium side in thermal contact with the medium and an ambient side opposite the medium side, wherein applying a voltage difference across the sides of the thermoelectric module creates a temperature difference between the sides; the temperature sensor being attached to the medium; and the controller being configured to receive the temperature of the medium from the temperature sensor and modulate the voltage applied to the thermoelectric module based on the target temperature of the medium, wherein the housing is removably attached to a liquid reservoir, and attaching the housing to the reservoir thermally exposes the liquid to the medium.

[0043] Example 2: The device of Example 1, wherein the housing further encapsulates a heat sink and a fan, wherein the heat sink is attached to the ambient side and the fan is attached to the heat sink, wherein the fan and the heat sink drive the temperature of the ambient side to ambient temperature.

[0044] Example 3: Some or all of the devices of Examples 1 and 2, wherein the housing further encloses a heat sink and a fan, wherein the heat sink is attached to the ambient side, the fan is attached to the heat sink, wherein the fan and the heat sink drive the temperature of the ambient side to the ambient temperature, and wherein the housing further includes an inlet vent on a surface of the housing adjacent to the fan and an outlet vent on a surface of the housing adjacent to the heat sink.

[0045] Example 4: Some or all of the devices of Examples 1 - 3, wherein the medium and the thermoelectric module are plates.

[0046] Example 5: Some or all of the devices of Examples 1 - 4, wherein the medium covers the top of the housing, the top of the housing includes threads that are shaped to receive a reservoir for a liquid, wherein screwing the reservoir into the threads seals the liquid between the reservoir and the housing, and rotating the attached reservoir and the housing in the direction of gravity places the housing on top of the reservoir, thereby thermally exposing the liquid to the medium by gravity.

[0047] Example 6: Some or all of the devices of Examples 1 - 5, wherein the medium includes a rod portion perpendicular to the plate portion, the plate portion having a medium side and an opposite ambient side, and wherein attaching the housing to the reservoir thermally exposes the liquid to the medium through the rod portion of the medium.

[0048] Example 7: Some or all of the devices of Examples 1 - 6, further including one or more secondary batteries.

[0049] Example 8: Some or all of the devices of Examples 1 - 7, further including a software application executable on a computing device and communicating with the controller.

[0050] Example 9: Some or all of the devices of Examples 1 - 8, further including one or more rechargeable batteries that supply voltage to the thermoelectric module, wherein the controller that regulates the voltage includes pulse width modulation of the voltage received from the battery based on a target temperature.

[0051] Example 10: A device including: a housing encapsulating a thermally conductive medium, a thermoelectric module, a temperature sensor, and a controller; the thermally conductive medium; the thermoelectric module thermally coupled to the medium, wherein the thermoelectric module has a medium side in thermal contact with the medium and an ambient side opposite the medium side, wherein applying a voltage difference across the sides of the thermoelectric module creates a temperature difference across the sides; the temperature sensor attached to the medium; and the controller configured to receive the temperature of the medium from the temperature sensor and modulate the voltage applied to the thermoelectric module based on a target temperature of the medium, and wherein the housing further includes a thermally conductive chamber thermally coupled to the medium.

[0052] Example 11: The apparatus of Example 10, wherein the housing further encapsulates a heat sink and a fan, wherein the heat sink is attached to the ambient side, the fan is attached to the heat sink, and wherein the fan and the heat sink drive the temperature of the ambient side towards the ambient temperature.

[0053] Example 12: Some or all of the apparatuses of Examples 10 and 11, wherein the housing further encapsulates a heat sink and a fan, wherein the heat sink is attached to the ambient side, the fan is attached to the heat sink, and wherein the fan and the heat sink drive the temperature of the ambient side to the ambient temperature, and wherein the housing further includes an inlet vent on a surface of the housing adjacent to the fan and an outlet vent on a surface of the housing adjacent to the heat sink.

[0054] Example 13: Some or all of the apparatuses of Examples 10 - 12, wherein the medium and the thermoelectric module are plates.

[0055] Example 14: Some or all of the apparatuses of Examples 10 - 13, further comprising one or more rechargeable batteries.

[0056] Example 15: Some or all of the apparatuses of Examples 10 - 14, further comprising a software application executable on a computing device and communicating with the controller.

[0057] Example 16: Some or all of the apparatuses of Examples 10 - 15, further comprising one or more rechargeable batteries that supply voltage to the thermoelectric module, wherein the controller that regulates the voltage includes pulse width modulation of the voltage received from the battery based on a target temperature.

[0058] Example 17: An apparatus comprising: an adapter; a housing encapsulating a thermally conductive medium, a thermoelectric module, a temperature sensor, and a controller, the thermoelectric module being thermally coupled to the medium, wherein the thermoelectric module has a medium side in thermal contact with the medium and an ambient side opposite the medium side, and wherein applying a voltage difference across the sides of the thermoelectric module creates a temperature difference between the sides; the temperature sensor being attached to the medium; and the controller being configured to receive the temperature of the medium from the temperature sensor and modulate the voltage applied to the thermoelectric module based on a target temperature of the medium, wherein the housing is detachably attachable to a liquid reservoir via the adapter, and attaching the housing to the reservoir exposes the liquid to the medium thermally.

[0059] Example 18: The apparatus of Example 17, wherein the housing further encapsulates a heat sink and a fan, wherein the heat sink is attached to the ambient side, the fan is attached to the heat sink, and wherein the fan and the heat sink drive the temperature of the ambient side towards the ambient temperature.

[0060] Example 19: Some or all of the devices in Examples 17 and 18, wherein the medium covers the top of the outer casing, the top of the outer casing includes outer casing threads, wherein the reservoir includes threads, wherein the adapter includes outer casing side threads shaped to removably connect the adapter to the outer casing threads by a twisting action, wherein the adapter includes reservoir side threads shaped to removably connect the adapter to the reservoir threads by a twisting action, wherein connecting the reservoir to the outer casing via the adapter seals the liquid in the reservoir between the reservoir and the outer casing, and rotating the reservoir and the outer casing in the direction of gravity places the reservoir on top of the outer casing and thermally exposes the liquid to the medium.

[0061] Example 20: Some or all of the devices in Examples 17 - 19, further comprising one or more secondary batteries that supply voltage to the thermoelectric module, wherein the controller that regulates the voltage includes pulse width modulation of the voltage received from the battery based on a target temperature.

[0062] Although the present invention has been specifically shown and described in connection with specific embodiments, it should be understood that modifications may be made to the forms and details of the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Although various advantages, aspects, and objectives of the present invention have been discussed in connection with various embodiments herein, it should be understood that the scope of the present invention should not be limited by these advantages, aspects, and objectives. Instead, the scope of the present invention should be determined with reference to the patent claims.

Claims

1. A device, comprising: A housing encapsulating a heat-conducting medium, a thermoelectric module, a temperature sensor, and a controller; A thermoelectric module thermally coupled to the medium, wherein the thermoelectric module has a medium side in thermal contact with the medium and an ambient side opposite the medium side, and wherein applying a voltage difference across the sides of the thermoelectric module creates a temperature difference between the sides; The temperature sensor attached to the medium; And The controller is configured to receive the temperature of the medium from the temperature sensor and adjust the voltage applied to the thermoelectric module based on a target temperature of the medium, wherein: The housing is detachably connected to a liquid reservoir, and connecting the housing to the reservoir thermally exposes the liquid to the medium.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The housing further encapsulates a heat sink and a fan; The heat sink is attached to the ambient side and the fan is attached to the heat sink; and The fan and the heat sink drive the temperature of the ambient side to the ambient temperature.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The housing further encapsulates a heat sink and a fan; The heat sink is attached to the ambient side; The fan is attached to the heat sink; The fan and the heat sink drive the temperature of the ambient side to the ambient temperature; And The housing further includes an inlet vent on a surface of the housing adjacent to the fan and an outlet vent on a surface of the housing adjacent to the heat sink.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The medium and the thermoelectric module are plates.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The medium covers the top of the housing; The top of the housing includes threads shaped to receive a liquid container; And Screwing the reservoir into the threads seals the liquid between the reservoir and the housing, and rotating the connected reservoir and housing in the direction of gravity places the housing on top of the reservoir, thereby thermally exposing the liquid to the medium by gravity.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The medium includes a rod portion perpendicular to the plate portion; The plate portion has the medium side and an opposite ambient side; And Attaching the housing to the reservoir thermally exposes the liquid to the medium via the rod portion of the medium.

7. The device according to claim 1, further comprising one or more rechargeable batteries.

8. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a software application executable on a computing device and communicating with the controller.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising one or more rechargeable batteries that supply voltage to the thermoelectric module, wherein: The controller that adjusts the voltage includes pulse width modulation of the voltage received from the battery based on the target temperature.

10. A device, comprising: A housing encapsulating a heat-conducting medium, a thermoelectric module, a temperature sensor, and a controller; A heat-conducting medium; A thermoelectric module thermally coupled to the medium; And A controller configured to receive the temperature of the medium from the temperature sensor and adjust the voltage applied to the thermoelectric module based on a target temperature of the medium, wherein: The thermoelectric module has a medium side in thermal contact with the medium and an ambient side opposite the medium side; Applying a voltage difference across the sides of the thermoelectric module creates a temperature difference between the sides; The temperature sensor attached to the medium; and The housing further includes a heat-conducting chamber thermally coupled to the medium.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein: The housing further encapsulates a radiator and a fan; The radiator is attached to the ambient side; The fan is attached to the radiator; and The fan and the radiator drive the temperature of the ambient side to the ambient temperature.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein: The housing further encapsulates a radiator and a fan; The radiator is attached to the ambient side; The fan is attached to the radiator; The fan and the radiator drive the temperature of the ambient side to the ambient temperature; and The housing further includes an inlet vent on a surface of the housing adjacent to the fan and an outlet vent on a surface of the housing adjacent to the radiator.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein the medium and the thermoelectric module are plates.

14. The device according to claim 10, further comprising one or more rechargeable batteries.

15. The device according to claim 10, further comprising a software application executable on a computing device and communicating with the controller.

16. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising one or more rechargeable batteries that supply voltage to the thermoelectric module, wherein: The controller for regulating the voltage includes pulse width modulating the voltage received from the battery based on a target temperature.

17. A device, comprising: An adapter; A housing encapsulating a thermally conductive medium, a thermoelectric module, a temperature sensor, and a controller; The module is thermally coupled to the medium, wherein the thermoelectric module has a medium side in thermal contact with the medium and an ambient side opposite the medium side, creating a temperature difference across the thermoelectric module; A temperature sensor attached to the medium; and A controller configured to receive the temperature of the medium from the temperature sensor and regulate the voltage applied to the thermoelectric module based on a target temperature of the medium, wherein: The housing is detachably connectable to a liquid reservoir via the adapter; and Connecting the housing to the reservoir exposes the liquid to the medium thermally.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein: The housing further encapsulates a radiator and a fan; The radiator is attached to the ambient side and the fan is attached to the radiator; and The fan and the radiator drive the temperature of the ambient side to the ambient temperature.

19. The device according to claim 17, wherein: The medium covers the top of the housing; The top of the housing includes housing threads; The reservoir includes threads; The adapter includes housing-side threads shaped such that the adapter can be detachably connected to the housing threads by a twisting action; The adapter includes reservoir-side threads shaped such that the adapter can be detachably connected to the reservoir threads by a twisting action; and Connecting the reservoir to the housing via the adapter seals the liquid in the reservoir between the reservoir and the housing, and rotating the reservoir and the housing in the direction of gravity places the reservoir on top of the housing, exposing the liquid to the medium thermally.

20. The apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising one or more rechargeable batteries for supplying voltage to the thermoelectric module, wherein: The controller modulating the voltage includes pulse width modulating the voltage received from the battery based on the target temperature.

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