Abstract:
A liquid dispenser has a base, a reservoir removably attached to the base, a recess in the base for receiving a temperature-maintaining insert, and an outlet for dispensing a liquid stored in the reservoir. The base may also have a bowl for receiving the dispensed liquid, where the dispenser is intended to be used by a pet, such as a dog or a cat.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     Various liquid dispensers for pets are known. These generally incorporate a base with a reservoir attached to the base, such as a water bottle. The base typically has a basin or bowl where water flowing from the reservoir pools. Various methods of controlling flow also exist, but in the simplest form, some dispensers have an outlet communicating between the reservoir and the basin, and water fills up the basin until it rises above the level of the outlet, at which point, flow ceases until the level is reduced, which usually happens whenever a pet drinks from the basin.  
         [0002]     Also known are liquid dispensers that provide for some form of keeping the water cool or warm, depending on the temperature outdoors. Where heating is required, typically a heat source powered by electricity is provided, whether in the form of a heating coil or a lamp. For cooling, solutions range from freezeable water bowls to fountains that continually re-circulate and filter the water. It is also known to insert a cooling member, such as an ice pack, into a water bottle having a cavity adapted for receiving the ice pack, as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,038. However, as the water level in the bottle goes down, the surface area of the insert in contact with the water is also reduced, thereby limiting the cooling effect of the insert and exposing more of the insert to the ambient temperature.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     There is therefore provided a liquid dispenser that can be used for humans or animals, that can keep the liquid at a desired temperature for longer periods of time, whether hot or cold, and that is easily portable and does not require electric power.  
         [0004]     The liquid dispenser comprises a base, a reservoir for storing a liquid having a temperature, the reservoir removably attached to the base, a recess in the base for receiving a temperature-maintaining insert for maintaining the temperature of the liquid, and an outlet in the base for dispensing the liquid.  
         [0005]     In another embodiment, a liquid dispenser comprises a base, a reservoir for storing a liquid having a temperature, the reservoir having a top and a bottom, the top being removably attached to the base, a side accessible recess in the reservoir nearer to the top than the bottom for receiving a temperature-maintaining insert for maintaining the temperature of the liquid, and an outlet in the base for dispensing the liquid.  
         [0006]     In another embodiment of the invention, an apparatus comprises a base having a bottom, sides, and a top, the top having an opening for receiving a reservoir for storing a liquid having a temperature. The base also has a recess for receiving a temperature-maintaining insert for maintaining the temperature of the liquid, and an outlet for dispensing the liquid from the reservoir. The apparatus may further comprise a basin for receiving liquid dispensed from the reservoir.  
         [0007]     These and other aspects of the invention are set out in the claims, which are incorporated here by reference. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0008]     Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the figures, in which like reference characters denote like elements, by way of example, and in which:  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a liquid dispenser;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a base for a liquid dispenser;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the liquid dispenser of  FIG. 1 , showings its components separated;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a liquid dispenser;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a base for a liquid dispenser;  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the liquid dispenser of  FIG. 4 , showing its components separated;  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a reservoir; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a reservoir. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]     In the claims, the word “comprising” is used in its inclusive sense and does not exclude other elements being present. The indefinite article “a” before a claim feature does not exclude more than one of the feature being present.  
         [0018]     A liquid dispenser  10  according to the invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The liquid dispenser  10  has a base  12 , a reservoir  14  for storing a liquid having a temperature, and recess  16  in the base  12  for receiving a temperature-maintaining insert  18 .  
         [0019]     The temperature-maintaining insert  18  may be a refreezeable or reheatable pack available from a variety of suppliers, such as Cryopak Industries, Nulife Medical, and Roshgo Corporation. Such temperature-maintaining inserts typically contain some form of gel, but it should be understood that any form of hot or cold pack that fits within the recess  16  may be used, and the hot or cold pack may contain any material suitable for cooling or heating. The temperature-maintaining insert  18  may have a rigid external shell, or may be flexible.  
         [0020]     Likewise, the temperature-maintaining insert may be an instant hot or cold pack, such as those sold under the names Kwik-Heat®, Kwik-Cold®, Jack Frost™ and Re-Heater™. These types of hot and cold packs typically involve some form of chemical reaction that makes the pack hot or cold relatively instantaneously, and are typically activated by squeezing the hot or cold pack. Some, like the Re-Heater™, are re-usable. Such instant hot or cold packs will typically last between half an hour and an hour before losing their effectiveness. For most applications, a reusable hot or cold pack is preferred because this type of pack maintains its effectiveness for a longer period of time. One skilled in the art will use the temperature-maintaining insert most suitable for the conditions under which the liquid dispenser  10  may be used.  
         [0021]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a base  12  for a liquid dispenser has a recess  16  for receiving a temperature-maintaining insert  18 , an outlet  20  for dispensing liquid from a reservoir, an opening  22  for receiving a reservoir containing a liquid, and a basin  24  where liquid dispensed from the outlet  20  may pool.  
         [0022]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the reservoir  14  has a top  26  and a bottom  28  The top  26  is received by the opening  22  in the base  12 . The base  12  may consist of two parts, an upper base portion  32  and a lower base portion  34 , or the base  12  may be of unitary construction, as in  FIG. 2 . The opening  22  is shaped to receive the top  26  of a standard water bottle for a liquid dispenser, which typically ranges a storage capacity of 2 gallons to 5 gallons (approximately 8 litres to 20 litres). However, it should be understood that the opening  22  could also be threaded to be connected to a bottle having a threaded top, such as 750 mL, 1 L, or 2 L water bottle, or the opening  22  could be otherwise shaped in a manner suitable for receiving a particular type of reservoir.  
         [0023]     When the liquid dispenser  10  is intended to be used for animals, a basin  24  may be provided, as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3 . In such instances, an outlet  20  in the base connects the reservoir  14  to the basin  24 , permitting flow of liquid from the reservoir  14  to the basin  24 . It should be understood that any type of outlet that controls the flow of liquid from the reservoir  14  would be suitable. In a simple embodiment, the top of the reservoir may be positioned so that when the basin is filled with water, the top of the reservoir is submerged, thus preventing further liquid from flowing from the reservoir. When an animal drinks from the basin and the water level is reduced, further water is then released from the reservoir until the water level basin again reaches a point where no further water flows from the reservoir.  
         [0024]     When the liquid dispenser  110  is used, the base  112  may have a push tap  124 , a faucet, a spigot or other sort of valve connected to the outlet  120  to release liquid on demand when operated by a person getting a drink, as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . It should be understood that the recess  116  could be positioned on any side of the base  112 , as long as the recess  116  does not interfere with the outlet  120 .  
         [0025]     The reservoir  114  may also have a side accessible recess  136 . The side accessible recess  135  is preferably located nearer to the top  126  than the bottom  128  of the reservoir  114 . There may be more than one side accessible recess  136 . The side accessible recess  136  may be configured lengthwise or widthwise, as seen in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . The side accessible recess  136  as shown is rectangular, but could be any shape suitable for receiving a temperature-maintaining insert. The side accessible recess could be a transversely extending recess extending more in the lateral direction than in the up and down direction. Since cold travels downward, the side accessible recess  136  in a preferred embodiment does not have to keep as much of the liquid cool, being positioned nearer to the top  126 , which is below the bottom  128  when the reservoir  114  is inverted for use. Likewise, for heating applications, the side accessible recess  136  has the advantage of being surrounded by liquid for a longer period of time, so that heat is not lost as quickly as would be the case if a heated temperature-maintaining insert were located in the bottom  128  of the reservoir  114 , which is the highest point of the liquid dispenser  110  when the reservoir  114  is inverted for use.  
         [0026]     The recess  16  or  116  or the side accessible recess  136  may have a cover  30  or  130  or  140  or a drawer (not shown) or a clipping mechanism (not shown) or some other device for holding the temperature-maintaining insert  18  or  118  or  138  securely in the recess  16  or  116  or the side accessible recess  136 , if this is desired. Likewise, the cover  30  or  130  or  140  or other device may be insulated to provide a further temperature-maintaining function by keeping the temperature-maintaining insert  18  or  118  or  138  separated from the ambient temperature outside of the base  12  or  112  or the reservoir  114 .  
         [0027]     In a preferred embodiment, the base  12  or  112  may be used with any suitable reservoir and does not require a reservoir specially adapted to fit the base  12  or  112 . When the liquid dispenser  110  is used, the reservoir  114  may be used to store any liquid consumed by people, such as iced tea or juice where a cold temperature-maintaining insert is used, or coffee or hot chocolate where a hot temperature-maintaining insert is used. Likewise, a hot temperature-maintaining insert may be used with the liquid dispenser  10  where water for pets needs to be kept from freezing, or in the liquid dispenser  110  where a hot beverage needs to be kept from cooling down too rapidly, such as in cold weather conditions outdoors. The reservoir may have an insulating jacket to aid in maintaining the temperature of the liquid. The base  12  or  112  and the liquid dispenser  10  or  110  are useful where electric power supplies are not available and provide an easily portable solution to maintaining the temperature of a liquid for an extended period of time.  
         [0028]     Immaterial modifications may be made to the embodiments of the invention described here without departing from the invention.