Abstract:
A dispenser for separately dispensing warmed water and powdered baby formula, to promote expeditious preparation of baby bottles. The dispenser may have a water circuit including a threaded water storage vessel, a threaded in-line filter, an electrically powered, thermostatically controlled heating chamber, and a discharge conduit controlled by a lever. The dispenser may have a powder circuit comprising a powder storage chamber, a rotary compartmented carousel which promotes flow of stored powder for discharge through a chute, and an agitator to further promote flow of powder. An illumination lamp may be disposed to illuminate discharge areas. A catch tray may be disposed beneath the liquid and powder discharge areas.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. Nos. 61/225,719 (filed Jul. 15, 2009) and 61/218,564 (filed Jun. 19, 2009). The entire contents of 61/225,719 (filed Jul. 15, 2009), and  61 / 218 , 564  (filed Jun. 19, 2009) are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention relates to appliances for dispensing baby formula for feeding babies. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Babies may feel hungry and demand to be fed at any time. This often occurs at times which are inconvenient for parents and other caregivers, such as during the night. At night, the caregiver may herself or himself be awakened and thus not be fully alert and functioning. In a crowded household, many people will be inconvenienced should the baby start to cry if not fed immediately. It therefore is highly desirable to provide the baby with a bottle filled with milk or a synthetic substitute such as prepared food known as baby formula. 
         [0005]    Baby formula is a prepared product conventionally provided in dry granular form. Baby formula is intended to be mixed with water to generate a solution or emulsion which is suitable for babies to draw from a baby bottle. 
         [0006]    Ordinarily, preparation of a baby bottle can be time consuming. Even when a supply of clean bottles is maintained and available, there remains the task of mixing the baby formula with water and heating the mixture to a suitable temperature, such as body temperature. Again recalling that this situation is especially apt to occur at night, when the caregiver&#39;s readiness is at a minimum, it becomes highly desirable to expedite and simplify the task of preparing a bottle of formula for the baby. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An appliance which expedites preparation of a baby bottle. The appliance maintains a supply of water at suitably elevated temperature and a supply of metered baby formula. The water and baby formula are separately dispensed from the appliance into an empty bottle. It should be understood that the terms “baby formula” and “powdered baby formula” are hereinafter regarded as equivalent terms. 
         [0008]    Warmed water is dispensed at a first dispensing station, and dry, granular baby formula is dispensed at a second dispensing station. When both ingredients have been dispensed into a baby bottle, they may be mixed in the baby bottle. The bottle may then be capped with a nipple for example and given to the baby. 
         [0009]    The appliance is highly convenient both because it expedites the process of preparing a baby bottle, and also because its size and weight enable it to be used in domestic premises wherever a suitable flat or horizontal surface and electrical supply may be located. The flat top surface of bedroom and other furniture will satisfy the need for a flat or horizontal surface. As most dwellings are provided with electrical power receptacles, the requirement for power is easily satisfied. 
         [0010]    The two-step process of preparing a bottle may seem subject to improvement wherein the appliance could mix the ingredients and dispense the resultant mixture. However, this seemingly preferable procedure has disadvantages that are redressed by the two-step process. One problem is that if ingredients are mixed in the appliance, subsequent cleaning is rendered more difficult in that pasty or dried residues must be dealt with. There is also no assurance that the appliance will have fully and properly mixed the dry powder with the water, so that adult attention to this aspect may still be needed. Whereas once mixed baby formula has a limited shelf-life at the end of which it must be disposed of. 
         [0011]    In the instant invention, a powder dispenser which dispenses powdered baby formula has an agitator which promotes flow of granular material to a dispenser. The dispenser comprises a rotatable carousel having a plurality of compartments of predetermined volume for assuring appropriate metering of baby formula. A pushing device assists in propelling powdered baby formula from the compartment of the carousel. 
         [0012]    The novel appliance is therefore particularly suited for being maintained near a sleeping baby and is readily available and operated. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a dispensing appliance according to the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 1A  is an environmental, perspective view of a dispensing appliance according to the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic side view of a water circuit which may be incorporated into the dispensing appliance of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic side view of a powder dispensing circuit which may be incorporated into the dispensing appliance of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic side view of components of the powder dispensing circuit of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a perspective detail view of one of the components of  FIG. 3  and one of the components of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is an electrical schematic of an electrical circuit which may be incorporated into the dispensing appliance of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 6A  is an electrical schematic of an electrical circuit according to the invention. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  is a table of reference numerals and the subject matter of these reference numerals. 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  shows a schematic of a control system for operating an electric motor according to the invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  shows a schematic of a control system for operating an electric motor according to the invention. 
       
    
    
       [0024]    Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    The present invention is directed to a dispensing appliance  100  for dispensing warmed water (not shown) and powdered baby formula (not shown). More specifically, the dispensing appliance  100 , as seen in  FIG. 1 , may be suitable for placing on an environmental surface such as the top of a table, dresser, or the like (none shown). Advantageously, the dispensing appliance  100  may be located in close proximity to where the infant or toddler sleeps so that a baby bottle (not shown) may be quickly filled with warm water and dry powdered or granular baby formula (water and baby formula not shown). Although it may be built to any dimensions, illustratively, the dispensing appliance  100  may comprise a housing  120  having overall dimensions of about fifteen inches in height and twelve inches in width and depth, when placed on an environmental surface in the upright position depicted in  FIG. 1  and viewed from the front. The view from the front is that which would prevail when a person is in the process of filling a bottle using the dispensing appliance  100 . 
         [0026]    The dispensing appliance  100  may dispense warmed water from a liquid circuit and baby formula from a powder circuit, each one of these two circuits being mounted to or supported within the housing  120 . A first dispensing station  140 , although only partially visible in  FIG. 1 , is disposed to dispense warmed water through a suitable conduit (not shown) to the exterior of the housing  120 . A valve  640  (see  FIG. 2 ) may control dispensing of warmed water by a control lever  160  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) which is disposed to control water being discharged from the first dispensing station  140  in response to being depressed from the front of the housing  120 . The first dispensing station  140  may be similar to those provided in commercially available water dispensers which typically employ bottled water, and action of the control lever  160  and its associated valve may therefore be similar to control levers of known water dispensers. 
         [0027]    The powder circuit may dispense powdered baby formula from a second dispensing station  180  located beside the first dispensing station  140 . In use, a person holds a baby bottle with the open end held just below one of the dispensing stations  140  or  180 , dispenses warmed water or baby formula, then moves to the other dispensing station  180  or  140  and dispenses the other ingredient. With both warmed water and baby formula contained within the bottle, these ingredients may be suitably stirred or blended. The baby bottle may then have a suitable nipple installed thereon, and is ready for feeding. 
         [0028]    The first dispensing station  140  may be spaced apart from the second dispensing station  180  so as to avoid cross contamination for example. Nevertheless, it would also be possible to arrange abutment or close proximity of the first dispensing station  140  and the second dispensing station  180 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 1  shows how water and baby formula may be loaded into and stored for use within the housing  120 . First referring to the liquid circuit, the housing  120  comprises a water handling chamber  200  having a hinged door or closure  220  which may be swung in the direction of an arrow A to reveal the interior of the water handling chamber  200 . Water is preferably provided in removable vessels such as the water bottle  240 , which may have a threaded neck  260  for threading to a corresponding receptacle (see  FIG. 2 ) included with the water circuit. The closure  220  may be conveniently lifted using a tab  280 . 
         [0030]    The powder circuit (see  FIG. 4 ) may also have a powder storage chamber  300  which is open at the top and has an openable door or closure  320  disposed selectively to seal the powder storage chamber  300  and to reveal the interior of the powder storage chamber  300 . The closure  320  may be hinged and provided with a tab (not shown) to facilitate lifting in the manner of the closure  220  so that the closure  320  swings open and closed as indicated by arrow B. The end of an agitator  340  is visible in the powder storage chamber  300 . The agitator  340  promotes gravity feed of powder in the powder circuit. 
         [0031]    A lamp  360  may be mounted to the exterior of the housing  120  in a suitable location, such as beneath an overhang portion  380  of the housing  120 . The lamp  360  may be of any known type and may be of limited power or brightness so as for example not to be objectionable in darkened bedrooms (not shown). 
         [0032]    The dispensing appliance  100  may comprise a removable tray  400  disposed below at least one of and preferably below both of the first dispensing station  140  and the second dispensing station  180 , for catching spillage from the water circuit, the powder circuit, or both. The tray  400  may be supported within an extended base portion  420  of the housing  120 . 
         [0033]    Turning now to  FIG. 2 , the water circuit is shown in diagrammatic fashion. A suitable water supply such as the water bottle  240  may thread to, press it to, or otherwise engage a correspondingly threaded connection having a threaded receptacle  440  for receiving the water bottle  240 , which is in communication with a conduit  460 . The conduit  460  may integrally incorporate the threaded connection which receives the water bottle  240 . The conduit  460  may lead to a fitting  480  which serves as a base for a water filter  500 . The water filter  500  may be for example of a commercially available type such as a cartridge filter which threads to or press fits to a receptacle such as the fitting  480 . Water may pass serially along the water circuit, particularly through the water filter  500  in the direction indicated by dashed line and arrow C. Water then flows through a conduit  520  to a water storage chamber  540 . The water storage chamber  540  both stores and maintains temperature of water to promote expeditious dispensing of pre-warmed water. To this end, an electric resistive heating element  600  may be disposed in heat exchange relation to the water storage chamber  540 . A thermostat  580  may be provided in temperature sensing relation to water contained within the water storage chamber  540 . The thermostat  580  may be manually adjustable. The thermostat is disposed to control electrical power supplied to the heating element  600  (see  FIG. 6 ) which is disposed in heat transfer relation to the water storage chamber  540 . Although depicted as being external to the water storage chamber  540  in  FIG. 2 , for example encircling the water storage chamber  540  in the manner of a belt, the heating element  600  could be located within the water storage chamber  540  so as to be immersed in water contained therein. A temperature indicator  585  (shown in  FIGS. 1A and 6A ) can be operatively linked to the thermostat  580 . The temperature indicator  585  provides a visual display of the temperature in the water storage chamber  540 . A baby caregiver, such as the baby&#39;s mother or nurse, can look at the temperature indicator  585  to discern when it is OK to operate the lever operated valve  640  to dispense heated water from water storage chamber  540 . 
         [0034]    Water contained within the water storage chamber  540  may be maintained at a suitable predetermined temperature due to the thermostat  580  and the heating element  600 . The water storage chamber  540  may be temperature insulated to promote maintaining temperatures above ambient temperatures. When the control lever  160  is operated, water may be discharged from the water storage chamber  540  through a conduit  620  under the control of the lever operated valve  640 . The valve  640  can be operated by lever  160  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0035]      FIG. 3  shows the basics of the powder circuit. Powdered baby formula is metered as it is dispensed from the powder storage chamber  300 . This is accomplished by dispensing powdered baby formula into a rotary carousel  660 , and then into a powder discharge chute  680 . The terms “rotary carousel” and “carousel” are hereinafter regarded as equivalent terms. 
         [0036]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , powdered baby formula is initially stored in the powder storage chamber  300 . When it is desired to dispense baby formula, a switch which may be for example a pushbutton  700  (see  FIG. 6 ) activates a motor  720  which is adapted to rotate the agitator  340  and is also adapted to rotate the rotary carousel  660 . The motor  720  is an electrical motor which can be driven by an electrical supply typically derived from a mains socket or from a battery installed in the dispensing appliance  100 . 
         [0037]    It should be kept in mind that although the rotary carousel  660  is shown spaced apart from the bottom wall  740  of the powder storage chamber  300 , in a preferred embodiment these two will abut or alternatively be separated by only a small gap. Powder, once pushed into a fluent condition by rotation of the agitator  340 , will flow downwardly out of an opening  760  formed in the bottom wall  740  into the rotary carousel  660 . The carousel  660  is preferably located between the motor  720  and the agitator  340  as shown schematically in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
         [0038]    As seen in  FIG. 5 , the rotary carousel  660  may comprise a number of compartments  780 A,  780 B,  780 C, etc. The opening  760  may be configured similarly to e.g. the compartments  780 A,  780 B,  780 C, so that when the opening  760  overlies any one compartment (e.g. one of the compartments  780 A,  780 B,  780 C), then that particular compartment is filled by powder which has descended through the opening  760  in the direction of arrows D and E under the influence of gravity and the action of agitator  340 . 
         [0039]    Correspondence of the opening  760  with configuration of each one of the compartments  780 A,  780 B,  780 C, etc., acts in the capacity of a restrictor which both avoids overloading the rotary carousel  660  and also limits powder being dispensed from the rotary carousel  660  to the predetermined volume of each one of the compartments  780 ,  780 B,  780 C, etc. which is being filled to undergo eventual discharge at the second dispensing station  180 . 
         [0040]    As seen in  FIG. 3 , rotation of the rotary carousel  660 , as indicated by arrow E will cause the filled compartment (e.g. the compartment  780 A,  780 B, or  780 C, etc.) to overlie an opening  800  (see  FIG. 1 ) formed in the bottom wall of the housing  120  at the overhang  380  and forming part of the second dispensing station  180 . Contents of the filled compartment will be discharged into the powder discharge chute  680  (indicated by an arrow G in  FIG. 3 ) and then into the baby bottle which is held beneath the second discharge station  180 . 
         [0041]    It should be mentioned at this point that the volume of each one of the compartments  780 A,  780 B,  780 C, etc. may be predetermined so as to correspond to an appropriate amount of baby milk formula to generate a recommended dosage of baby milk formula for one standard baby bottle. 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the dispensing appliance  100  may comprise a pusher  820  disposed to push powder from one of the compartments  780 A,  780 B,  780 C, etc. which is aligned with the powder dispensing chute  680 . The pusher  820  may comprise a hinge (represented by a hinge rod  840  in  FIG. 5 ) and a spring  860  adapted to bias the pusher  820  downwardly (as indicated by an arrow F in  FIG. 5 ) so as to assist in expelling powder from the rotary carousel  660 . The pusher  820  may have a suitably curved bottom surface  880  to enable the pusher  820  to ascend over a wall of an approaching compartment  780 A,  780 B, or  780 C, etc. 
         [0043]      FIG. 6  shows an electrical circuit disposed to conduct power to electrically operated components of the dispensing appliance  100 , such as the lamp  360 , the heating element  600 , and the electric motor  720 . The circuit may also serve additional accessories  900 . For example, a clock, timer, or other electrical or electronic accessory may be provided. The circuit may also comprise a lamp controller  920  which may be a manual switch, light sensor, interlock with a clock or timer, or any other desired arrangement. Power to lines L 1  and L 2  may be supplied by a plug and cord assembly  940  (see  FIG. 1 ) which for example may be connected to a standard household electrical receptacle (not shown). 
         [0044]    The motor  720  can simultaneously rotate the agitator  340  and the rotary carousel  660 . The powder storage chamber  300  optionally includes an interior sloping side  303 . The optional interior sloping side  303  slopes downwards and towards an opening  760  formed in the bottom wall  740 . Operation of the motor  720  causes the agitator  340  to rotate and powdered baby formula is directed along the slope  303  towards and into opening  760  and thence into the rotary carousel  660 . 
         [0045]    In one embodiment, each activation of the motor  720  rotates the carousel  660  by 360°/n where n=the number of compartments  780  in carousel  660 . Thus, with respect to  FIG. 5  where the number of compartments in the carousel  660  is eight, the motor  720  rotates 360°/8=45° to ensure that the next compartment  780  is used in turn to dispense powdered baby formula from second dispensing station  180 . In this embodiment if the last compartment  780  to deliver powdered baby formula for the previous baby feed was compartment  780 C (i.e., compartment  780 C was aligned with aperture  660  prior to motor  720  starting the next rotation of carousel  660  and agitator  340 ) then the carousel  660  would be rotated through 45° to ensure that compartment  780 D is aligned with aperture  760 . 
         [0046]    In an alternative embodiment, each activation of the motor  720  rotates the carousel  660  by 360°+360°/n. Thus, with respect to  FIG. 5  where the number of compartments in the carousel  660  is eight, the motor  720  is configured to rotate 360°+360°/8=360°+45°=405°. This ensures that each compartment  780  is used in turn to dispense powdered baby formula from second dispensing station  180 . 
         [0047]    In one embodiment, a controller  666  regulates the rotation of the motor  720 . In a preferred embodiment, the controller  666  rotates the carousel  660  according to the following equation: by 360°/n where n=the number of compartments  780  in carousel  660 . 
         [0048]    In another embodiment the controller  666  rotates the carousel  660  according to the following equation: 360j+360/n; where j is an integer and n=a positive integer value that is equal to the number of compartments  780  in carousel  660 ; j can be a positive or negative integer value, wherein when j is negative the motor rotates the agitator  340  and carousel  660  in a counterclockwise direction, and when j is positive the motor rotates the agitator  340  and carousel  660  in a clockwise direction. The value of j is between −10 and +10. The value of j is preferably between −2 and +2, i.e., j can be −2, −1, 0 (zero), +1 or +2; still more preferably the value of j is preferably between −1 and +1, i.e., j can be −1, 0 (zero), +1. The value of n is between 4 and 20 (i.e., n (and therefore the number of compartments  780 ) can be any integer value from 4 to 20). The value of n is preferably between 6 and 12, and more preferably between 8 and 10. The value of n can be 8. 
         [0049]    For example, when j has a value of 1 (positive integer one) and there are five compartments  780  in carousel  660  (i.e., n=5) the controller  666  rotates the carousel  660  in a clockwise direction for 360(1)+360/5=360+72=432° such that if the last compartment  780  to deliver powdered baby formula for the previous baby feed was compartment  780 A (i.e., compartment  780 A was aligned with aperture  660  prior to motor  720  starting the next rotation of carousel  660  and agitator  340 ) then the carousel  660  would be rotated through 432° to ensure that compartment  780 B is aligned with aperture  760 . By rotating the agitator  340  through at least 360+360/n degrees ensures that the next compartment  780  to be aligned with aperture  760  is filled to its capacity with powdered baby formula. Also, by such controlled rotation there is no need to employ a clutch and/or a de-clutch mechanism between the motor  720  and carousel  660 . The greater the value of j the more times each compartment  780  passes under aperture  760  and hence the greater chance of each compartment being filled to capacity with powdered baby formula upon each dispensation of powdered baby formula from second dispensing station  180 . 
         [0050]    The controller  666  includes a processor and either includes memory or is operatively connected to sufficient memory to perform the logic steps necessary to selectively operate the motor  720 . The memory may include random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM) and/or a data storage memory. In a preferred embodiment, the ROM stores operational software code that is read and processed by the controller  666  for the operation of the motor  720 . The controller  666  can be set on a predetermined cycle wherein for predetermined integer value k the motor  720  is directed by the controller  666  to rotate in a clockwise direction for k activations of the motor  720 , and upon reaching, for example, k+1 activations, the controller  666  directs the motor  720  to rotate in a counterclockwise direction to facilitate suppression of any powder baby formula jams that might otherwise occur if the carousel  660  and agitator  340  are always rotated in a clockwise direction. In this embodiment the controller&#39;s instructions are directed to a regulator  668  (see  FIG. 8 ) which serves to direct electrical power, under the control of the controller  666 , to the motor  720 . The regulator  668  can be integrated into the controller—see  FIG. 9  where such a controller is assigned the alpha-numeric label  666   cr . The controller  666  or controller-regulator  666   cr  can, for example, direct electrical power to the motor  720  to drive the motor  720  to rotate (in degrees) the carousel  660  and agitator  340  according to the following formula: 360/n; 360+360/n; and 360j+360/n, where j is an integer and n=the number of compartments  780  in carousel  660 . 
         [0051]    It should be understood that the term “activation” as used in the Detailed Description herein refers to each time a user presses or otherwise activates the appliance device  100  by, for example, pressing pushbutton  700  (shown in  FIG. 6 ). 
         [0052]      FIG. 8  shows an embodiment of the present invention wherein a controller  666  is operatively connected to a power supply  662  and a regulator  668 ; the power supply  662  could be a household mains electricity supply or a battery installed inside the dispensing appliance  100 . The controller  666  sends instructions to the regulator  668  to regulate the flow of electrical power to the electric motor  720 . A switch  664  is employed to further control the supply of electrical power to the controller  666  and the motor  720  via regulator  668 . It should be understood that items such as the controller  666  and regulator  668  can be integrated.  FIG. 9  shows the controller integrated with the regulator (represented by alpha-numeric label  666   cr ). 
         [0053]    The present invention may be modified from the above description if desired. For example, it would be possible to provide a rotary carousel such as the rotary carousel  660  with only one compartment such as the compartments  780 A,  780 B,  780 C, etc. if desired. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.