Heated water bucket

The heated water bucket includes a rubber bodied bucket with an integrated heating unit fitted to the bottom of the bucket. The heating unit covers the entire bottom of the bucket acting as a false “bottom” so that the heating unit does not appear as a foreign object within the bucket. The heating unit is held to the bottom of the bucket by a peripheral flange that extends radially around the inside of the bucket sidewall. The rubber construction of the bucket itself makes the invention more durable, but also improves the bucket's thermal insulation properties, making it more efficient than conventional heated plastic buckets.

This invention relates to heated water buckets for live stock and particularly to a heated rubber water bucket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the live stock industry, heated water buckets are used to keep water from freezing during the winter months and are well known. Heretofore, conventional heated water buckets have used plastic buckets that have an outer heat source either mounted to the bottom of the bucket or wrapped around the sides of the bucket with a second outer bucket or shell covering the heating element. While heated water buckets have used plastic buckets because their plastic construction provides better heat transfer, plastic buckets are more prone to damage and breakage. Plastic buckets are readily broken when kicked or stepped on by a large farm animal. For this reason, rubber water buckets are commonly preferred because they are flexible and will not break when kicked or step on by an animal. While rubber is preferred for durability, rubber buckets have been ill suited for heated application. Simply submerging a heating element in the bottom of a rubber bucket has proven undesirable because, certain livestock such as horses are hesitant to drink from a bucket that contains a foreign object. In addition, simply submerging a heating element within a rubber bucket exposes the heating element's cord to the animal.

The heated water bucket of this invention provides a rubber bucket with an integrated heating unit fitted to the bottom of the bucket. The heating unit covers the entire bottom of the bucket acting as a false “bottom” so that the heating unit does not appear as a foreign object within the bucket. The heating units is held to the bottom of the bucket by a peripheral flange that extends radially around the inside of the bucket sidewall. The rubber construction of the bucket itself makes the invention more durable, but also improves the bucket's thermal insulation properties, making it more efficient than conventional heated plastic buckets.

These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings,FIGS. 1-7show an embodiment of the heated water bucket of this invention, which is designated generally as reference numeral10. Heated water bucket10includes a rubber bucket20and a heating unit30.

Bucket20is preferably constructed of butyl rubber although other similar materials may be used, such as other natural and synthetic rubber or plastics. Butyl rubber is preferred for the bucket construction material because of its pliability, durability and thermal insulating properties. Bucket20can be configured as a standard round or flat sided bucket. As shown, bucket20includes sidewalls22and a bottom wall24, which define an open interior23. As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, a peripheral flange26extends radially from the sidewall22into the bucket interior23. Flange26is spaced above bottom24. Heating unit30is seated within the bottom of bucket20and is fitted between peripheral sidewall flange26and bucket bottom24. Flange26securely holds heating unit30at the bottom of bucket20; however, adhesives may also be used to further secure heating unit30to the bottom of bucket20. It should be noted that although shown as a peripheral flange that extends around the inside of sidewall22, any other protruding structure or structures, such as, a shoulder formed in the sidewall or a plurality of tabs, and the like may be used to securely hold heating unit30against bottom wall24within the teachings of this invention.

Heating unit30includes a two piece housing40, an electrical resistance heating element32and thermostat (not shown) disposed within the housing and an electrical cord34that extends from the housing. Housing40is formed or molded from a strong durable plastic material, such as fiber reinforced nylon. As shown inFIG. 5, housing40has an upper half42and a lower half44, which are connected and sealed to prevent any water or moisture from entering the housing. An O-ring (not shown) is seated between halves42and4to prevent water from entering the interior of the housing and affecting electrical components. Alternatively, housing halves42and44may be bonded together using adhesives and other water proof sealants to waterproof the housing. Both housing halves42and44have a plurality of inner reinforcement posts43that provide structural integrity to heating unit30. Lower half44has a plurality of feet45which space heating unit30from bucket bottom wall24, which prevents thermal transfer through the bottom of the bucket. Upper half42has a flat top46, which acts as the functional “bottom” of bucket20and an angled peripheral rim47that extends from top46, which “bites,” that is, partially embeds into bucket sidewall22directly under flange26, when heating unit30is fitted within bucket20.

Housing40also includes threaded tubular neck60, that extends through bore27in bucket sidewall22. Each half42and44forms part of neck60, which provides the conduit through which the electrical cord34of heating unit30extends. Neck60opens side housing40into an partitioned “wiring” area49defined by three partition walls48formed into upper half42. The outside of neck60has threads62formed thereon. The inside of neck60has a pair of annular ribs66, which bite into to the outer jacket of electrical cord34to provide another water seal. A lock nut64threads onto the neck60to prevent leaks around the neck and to further hold heating unit30in place. An O-ring (not shown) may also be seated around neck60and juxtaposed between the bucket sidewall22and lock nut60to provide an additional seal between bucket20and heating unit30. Lock nut64tights down on neck60over the internal ribs66to ensure a solid internal seal between neck60and electrical cord34.

Heating element32emits thermal energy to heat the water inside bucket20. Typically, heating element32is a foil type electric heater that includes a length of electrical resistance heating wire affixed to a backing of a thin sheet of pliable thermal conductive foil material. Heating unit30also includes a thermostat36, which is mounted to the bottom surface of upper half42inside wiring area49. Typically, the thermostat uses a conventional snap action bimetal design, although other types of thermostats may be used within the teachings of this invention. A conventional electrical cord34is used to connect heating unit30to an AC electrical power source. Although heating element32is preferably powered by a common AC electrical source, the heating element can be modified for DC electrical power within the teachings of this invention. Electrical cord34extends through neck60and is connected to heating element32and thermostat36. It should be noted that all of the electrical wiring connection between heating element32, thermostat36and cord34are contained within wiring area49, which is in turned sealed and enclosed with an epoxy35to prevent water and contaminants from entering the housing interior and affecting the electrical components.

One skilled in the art will note that the heated water bucket of the present invention provides several advantages over convention plastic heated water buckets. The rubber construction of the bucket itself makes the invention more durable, but also improves the bucket's thermal insulation properties, making it more efficient than conventional heated plastic buckets. In addition, the heating unit of this invention is fitted directly in the bottom of the bucket, which puts the heat source directly in contact under the water for maximum thermal transfer, rather than the thermal energy being conducted through the sidewall or bottom wall of the bucket itself. The combination of the heating unit being fitted in the bottom of the bucket along with the superior thermal insulating properties of the rubber buckets over plastic buckets ensures that the heated bucket of this invention is thermally and electrically more efficient than conventional heated plastic buckets.

The heating unit covers the entire bottom of the bucket acting as a false “bottom” so that the unit does not appear as a foreign object within the bucket. The electrical cord for the heating unit is unobtrusively routed through the heating unit's threaded neck that extends through the bucket sidewall, but is secured and sealed by the lock nut and O-ring to prevent any leaks. All electrical connections are sealed in epoxy inside the heating unit to prevent shorts. Water leaking from the bucket, as well as, water leaking into and around the unit units is addressed by multiple seals and water tight engagements between the heating unit itself and between the heating unit and bucket. The heating unit is held securely in place at the bottom of the bucket by the flange that extends radially inward from the bucket sidewall. The reinforcing posts inside the housing, ensure that the housing is strong and durable and will not be damaged if an animal were to step in the bucket and on the heating unit.

The embodiment of the present invention herein described and illustrated is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It is presented to explain the invention so that others skilled in the art might utilize its teachings. The embodiment of the present invention may be modified within the scope of the following claims.