Patent Publication Number: US-2022211211-A1

Title: Disposable baby bottle warmer for use anywhere

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/834,501, filed Apr. 16, 2019, and entitled Disposable Baby Bottle Warmer for Use Anywhere. The disclosure of the prior application is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This application relates to a wrap-around heater and more particularly relates to a wrap-around heater for heating a baby bottle and other heating technologies. 
     BACKGROUND 
     There are a wide variety of heaters in the world, many of which may be used for heating baby bottle formula. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,804,076 and 6,234,165 disclose two examples of prior baby bottle heaters. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect, a heating device includes a flexible housing that defines a plurality of heater segments. Each heater segment includes a first compartment containing a first reactant, a second compartment containing a second reactant, and a frangible seal between the first compartment and the second compartment. The first reactant and the second reactant are configured to react exothermically upon contact with one another. 
     In another aspect, a heating device includes a first compartment containing a granular first reactant, a second compartment containing a liquid second reactant, and a frangible seal or other flow control mechanism (e.g., a valve or the like) between the first compartment and the second compartment. The granular first reactant and the liquid second reactant are configured to react exothermically upon contact with one another. A coating of oil is on a portion (i.e., some but not all) of the granular first reactant in the first compartment. 
     In yet another aspect, a method includes providing a heating device and wrapping the heating device around a container (e.g., a baby bottle) that contains a material (e.g., milk or formula) to be heated by the heating device. The heating device includes a flexible housing that defines a plurality of heater segments. Each heater segment has a first compartment containing a first reactant, a second compartment containing a second reactant, and a frangible seal between the first compartment and the second compartment. The first reactant and the second reactant are configured to react exothermically upon contact with one another. 
     In some implementations, one or more of the following advantages are present. 
     For example, in various implementations, each heating device disclosed herein acts as a pad capable of providing heat on demand. It can wrap around a bottle and be fastened in place (e.g., with a hook-and-loop, adhesive fastener, or mechanical hook of material), then actuated. After use, it is simply removed from the bottle and disposed of in any ordinary waste bin. 
     The heating systems are safe and produce innocuous residue. 
     Moreover, in some implementations, performance of the heating system can be tailored to different applications (e.g., by adjusting the portion of oil-coated granular reactant in the heating system, and/or changing the amounts of reactants in the heating system). 
     The heating device can be easily rolled (or wrapped around a container, e.g., a baby bottle) while maintaining the granule distribution uniform around the circumference. This uniform distribution is met by providing the heater in discrete segments. There can be as many or as few segments as desired. Moreover, since the heater has thickness, in order that it can be rolled either the outside surface or the inside surface must change length. By use of the segmented design the inner side can collapse along the seals between the segments, allowing the heater pouches to move closer together, decreasing the area of unheated bottle circumference. 
     When the heating device is applied to a bottle (as seen in  FIG. 7 ), the granule pouches are pressed tightly against the wall of the bottle containing the material to be heated. The liquid pouches are then squeezed to break the frangible seals and the heating reaction starts. It may be noticed that in very warm weather it may be desirable to initiate less than the maximum number of heaters. 
     Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an implementation of a heating device. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic side view of the heating device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 3A-3H  are schematic side views that represent a manufacturing process for the heating device in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of an alternative implementation of a heating device. 
         FIG. 5  is an alternative schematic view of the  FIG. 4  heating device. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of the  FIG. 4  heating device in alternative configuration. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective top view of a heating device wrapped around a baby bottle. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing an implementation of a contoured flexible sheet for a heating device with exemplary dimensions. 
     
    
    
     Like reference characters refer to like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  are schematic views of a heating device  100  that includes a flexible housing  102  that defines a plurality of heater segments  104   a ,  104   b  . . .  104   h . Each heater segment  104   a ,  104   b  . . .  104   h  has a first compartment  106  that contains a first reactant  109 , and a second compartment that contains a second reactant  110 . There is a frangible seal  112  between the first compartment  108  and the second compartment  106  in each heater segment  104   a ,  104   b  . . .  104   h . The first reactant  109  and the second reactant  110  are configured to react exothermically upon contact with one another. In a typical implementation, the first reactant  109  is a granular reactant (e.g., a granular calcium oxide) and the second reactant  110  is a liquid reactant (e.g., water). 
     To activate heating in one of the heater segments (e.g., heater segment  104   a ), a user simply squeezes one or both of the compartments  106 ,  108  in that heater segment  104   a . When a sufficient amount of squeezing force has been applied, the resulting pressure inside the heater segment  104   a  ruptures the frangible seal  112  for that heater segment  104   a , which allows the reactants  109 ,  110  in that heater compartment to mix and react exothermically. Heat from the exothermic reaction can pass through the housing  102  and into an object to be heated, such as a baby bottle (not shown in  FIG. 1 , but see  FIG. 7 ). 
     The flexible housing  102  in the illustrated heating device  100  is formed from a flat flexible sheet  114  and a contoured flexible sheet  116  that are coupled to one another. The contoured flexible second sheet  116  is contoured to define a plurality of first pockets  118  and a plurality of second pockets  120 . These pockets  118 ,  120  are configured such that when the contoured flexible sheet  116  is coupled to the flat flexible sheet  114 : A) each first compartment  106  is defined by one of the first pockets  118  in the contoured flexible sheet  116  and the flat flexible sheet  114 , and B) each second compartment  108  is defined by one of the second pockets  120  in the contoured flexible sheet  116  and the flat flexible sheet  114 . 
     The flat flexible sheet  114  is sealed against the contoured flexible sheet  116  to form the frangible seals  112  between the first compartment  106  and the corresponding second compartment  108  in each heater segment  104   a ,  104   b  . . .  104   h . Moreover, the flat flexible sheet is sealed against the contoured flexible sheet  116  to form additional (“non-frangible”) seals that remain intact when the frangible seals  112  rupture. These additional seals extend around each of the first and second compartments  106 ,  108  except where the frangible seals  112  are located. 
     The illustrated heating device  100  has fasteners  122   a ,  122   b  that can mate with one another at opposite ends thereof. In use, the heating device  100  can be wrapped around an object to be heated (e.g., a baby bottle) and the fasteners  122   a ,  122   b  can be mated with one another to hold the heating device  100  in the wrapped configuration. The fasteners  122   a ,  122   b  in the illustrated implementation take the form of mating mechanical hooks formed into the flexible housing  102  material. More specifically, the mechanical hooks have slits that open in opposite directions such that the slits can be aligned with one another and one of the slits can be slid into the other slit to create a mating relationship therebetween. Other implementations may include different types of fasteners. 
     In the illustrated heating device  100  there is a thermal insulating material  124  (e.g., a thin plastic foam or corrugated cardboard) on an outer surface of the flat flexible sheet  114  opposite the contoured flexible sheet  116 . This thermal insulating material  124  inhibits heat from the exothermic reaction from exiting the heating device  100  through the thermal insulating material  124 . Accordingly, in a typical implementation, a great deal of the heat generated by the exothermic reaction exits the heating device  100  through the contoured second sheet  116 , which, in use, is meant to be in direct physical contact with the object to be heated (e.g., the baby bottle). Meanwhile, the outer surface of the thermal insulating material  124  presents a gripping surface for the heating device  100  and the object wrapped inside the heating device  100  that remains relatively cool to the touch, even when the exothermic reaction is underway and producing heat. 
     The thermal insulating material  124  can take on any one of a variety of different forms. In some implementations, the thermal insulating material  124  is a separate layer that is coupled to the flexible housing  102  of the heating device  100  by heat sealing or by use of an adhesive material. In some implementations, the thermal insulating material  124  may be applied as a liquid and subsequently cured to solid form. 
     In some implementations, the heating device has a label (not shown in  FIG. 1 , but see  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 7 ) on an outer surface of the thermal insulating material  124 . The label may be either adhered to or printed on an outer surface of the thermal insulating material  124 . The label may include a wide variety of printed matter on it including information about the heating device itself (e.g., brand name, slogans, information about proposed uses, etc.) and other types of information normally included on a label for a product. 
     The flexible housing  102  in the illustrated heating device  100  has a top edge  126 , a bottom edge  128 , and two side edges  130 ,  132  that are at opposite ends of the heater segments  104   a ,  104   b  . . .  104   h . The flexible housing  102  is configured such that the top edge  126  and the bottom edge  128  end up being substantially parallel to one another when the flat flexible sheet  114  is in a planar configuration. The side edges  130 ,  132  are perpendicular to the top edge  126  and the bottom edge  128 . 
     The first compartments  106  and the second compartments  108  in the heater segments  104   a ,  104   b  . . .  104   h  form an array of compartments between the top edge  126 , the bottom edge  128 , and the two side edges  130 ,  132  of the flexible housing  102 . More specifically, in the illustrated implementation, the eight first compartments  106  and the eight second compartments  108  form 2×8 array of compartments between the top edge  126 , the bottom edge  128 , and the two side edges  130 ,  132  of the flexible housing  102 . 
     The first compartment  106  and the second compartments  108  in each respective one of the heater segments  104   a ,  104   b  . . .  104   h  are aligned with one another in a lengthwise manner along an axis that extends between the top edge  126  of the heating device  100  and the bottom edge  128  of the heating device  100 . This axis is perpendicular to both the top edge  126  and the bottom edge  128 . Moreover, the axis of every heater segment  104   a ,  104   b  . . .  104   h  is parallel to the axis of every other heater segment  104   a ,  104   b  . . .  104   h.    
     The fasteners  122   a ,  122   b  are at the side edges  130 ,  132  of the flexible housing  102 . 
     Spacing between adjacent compartments in the heating device  100  can vary. In a typical implementation, the distance between the compartments in one heater segment and corresponding compartments in an adjacent heater segment is at least 0.5 centimeters. This distance helps ensure that the heating device  100  will be able to be wrapped around the object to be heated (e.g., a baby bottle). Likewise, in a typical implementation, the distance between the first compartment  106  and the second compartment  108  in each heater segment is at least 0.5 centimeters. This distance helps ensure that the portion of the heating device  100  that includes the second compartments  108  can be folded over the portion of the heating device that includes the first compartments  106  at the frangible seals  112 . This folding over at the frangible seals  112  can be a desirable configuration for the heating device  100  when it is being shipped because the fold at the frangible seals  112  helps strengthen the frangible seals  112  against inadvertent rupturing during shipping, when the heating device  100  is likely most susceptible to rough handling. 
     As mentioned above, in some implementations, the first reactant  109  is a granular calcium oxide (or quicklime) and the second reactant  110  is water. These reactants provide a useable amount of heat for applications like warming a baby bottle. Moreover, the reactants themselves are safe and the residue of a reaction between them is innocuous. Calcium oxide (or quicklime) has the appearance and physical properties of a soft rock. It readily reacts with water to form calcium hydroxide. 
     In a typical implementation, the heating device  100  has provisions for controlling the rate of heat evolution from the exothermic reaction. These provisions minimize or prevent the production of steam inside the heating device  100  during the exothermic reaction. These provisions may include, for example, providing a coating of oil (e.g., vegetable oil or the like) on some portion of the calcium oxide granules in each of the first compartments  106 . In a typical implementation, between 40% and 70% of the granular calcium oxide in each of the first compartments  106  is coated with oil, and between 30% and 60% of the granular calcium oxide in each of the first compartments  106  is not coated with oil. 
     In heating devices that have a mixture of coated (with oil) calcium oxide granules and uncoated calcium oxide granules, the uncoated calcium oxide granules react first because the water is able to reach those granules unobstructed by any coatings of oil. The water does not, however, immediately react with the coated (with oil) calcium oxide granules because the oil coatings prevent the water from contacting those coated (with oil) calcium oxide granules. The heat produced by these first reactions is less than the heat that would have been produced had the water been able to access and start reacting with all of the calcium oxide granules immediately. Over time, the intensity of these initial reactions begins tapers off. Meanwhile, the oil coatings begin to break down gradually exposing more and more of the underlying calcium oxide granules to the water. 
     The ultimate effect of coating some, but not all, of the calcium oxide granules is to prolong heat production, while reducing peak temperatures. Additionally, in certain implementations, coating some, but not all, of the calcium oxide granules can reduce or even prevent steam generation in the heating device  100 . In a typical implementation, these coatings techniques may enable a heater designer to tailor the calcium oxide charge so that heat evolution matches the rate of heat absorption by the target product. Moreover, in some implementations, the rate of heat evolution may be particularly tailored so that the reacting granule bed never goes much above that necessary to heat the milk or food product to body temperature in cool weather. These are very desirable qualities in a heater that might be used to heat a baby bottle or the like. 
     The size of the first and second compartments  106 ,  108  can vary. Moreover, the quantity of reactant in each first compartment  106  and each second compartment  108  can vary. However, in some implementations, the granular reactant in the heating device  100  fills between 40% and 60% of each of the first compartments. This percentage fill helps ensure an adequate amount of reactant to generate sufficient heat, while ensuring enough room for the water to flow around the granular reactant. 
       FIGS. 3A-3H  are schematic side views that represent a manufacturing process for the heating device  100  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The figures show only one heater segment of the heating device  100 . It should be understood, however, that similar processes as the one represented at each step would be happening for all of the other heater segments in the heating device  100 . 
       FIG. 3A  shows a starting point for the represented process, which is simply to provide a flexible sheet  334  that can be used to form the contoured flexible sheet  116  of the heating device  100 . In a typical implementation, the flexible sheet  334  is a plastic material. In some implementations, the same flexible sheet  334  that is used to form the contoured flexible sheet  116  of the heating device  100  may be cut or folded to form the flat flexible sheet  114  of the heating device  100  as well. 
     In  FIG. 3B , the flexible sheet  334  is shown having been contoured with a first pocket  118  and a second pocket  120  to take the shape of the contoured flexible sheet  116 . In some implementation, the pockets  118 ,  120  are formed in the flexible sheet  334  using a vacuum forming process. 
     Next, in  FIG. 3C , the granular calcium oxide  109  is placed into the first pocket  118  of the contoured flexible sheet  116 . In some implementations, this step involves simply pouring a quantity of the calcium oxide granules into the first pocket  118  of the contoured flexible sheet  116 . In other implementations, the calcium oxide granules get wrapped-up first in a water-permeable material and then placed into the first pocket  118 . Wrapping the granular calcium oxide  109  first helps keep the calcium oxide granules in place within the first pocket  118  of the contoured flexible sheet  116 , which is especially important while the first pocket  118  remains in an open configuration (as shown in  FIG. 3C ), since the contoured flexible sheet  334  may otherwise lack the structural integrity to keep loose granules in place when open. Some examples of suitable water-permeable materials that may be useful in this regard include porous paper material or soft mesh material. 
       FIG. 3D  shows the flat flexible sheet  114  having been placed atop the contoured flexible sheet  116 . The flat flexible sheet  114  is sized so that it can cover all of the pockets  118 ,  120  in the contoured flexible sheet  116  and be sealed onto the contoured flexible sheet  116 . In a typical implementation including the one shown in  FIG. 3D , the flat flexible sheet  114  is large enough to cover the entire contoured flexible sheet  116  edge-to-edge. In a typical implementation, the flat flexible sheet  114  is the same type of material as the contoured flexible sheet  116  (e.g., plastic). 
       FIG. 3E  shows seals being formed between the flat flexible sheet  114  and the contoured flexible sheet  116  around the first pocket  118 . Sealing the flat flexible sheet  114  against the contoured flexible sheet  116  around the first pockets  118  forms the first compartment  106  of the heating device  100 , which contains the granular calcium oxide  109 . The seals being formed in  FIG. 3E  include the frangible seal  112  between the first compartment  106  and the second compartment  108  of the heating device  100 , as well as additional “non-frangible” seals on every other sides of the first compartment  106 . The seals may be formed using a heat sealing process or by applying an adhesive material between the sheets  114 ,  116 . 
       FIG. 3F  shows water being introduced into the second pocket  120  of the contoured flexible sheet  116 . In the illustrated implementation, the unsealed end of the flat flexible sheet  114  has been lifted off of the contoured flexible sheet  120  to expose the second pocket  120  so that the water  110  could be poured into the second pocket  120 . 
     Next, in  FIG. 3G , the flat flexible sheet  114  has been repositioned over the second pocket  120  and is shown being sealed against the contoured flexible sheet  116  to close in the second pocket  120  thereby forming the second compartment  108  of the heating device, which contains water. In a typical implementation, this sealing process creates a “non-frangible” seal between the flat flexible sheet  114  and the contoured flexible sheet  116  around the entire second compartment  108  except in the area between the second compartment  108  and the first compartment  106  where the non-frangible seal already has been formed. This seals may be formed using a heat sealing process or by applying an adhesive material between the sheets  114 ,  116 . 
       FIG. 3H  shows the thermal insulating material  124  being applied to the outer surface of the flat flexible sheet. In some implementations, the thermal insulating material  124  may be applied as a liquid and subsequently cured to solid form. In some implementations, the thermal insulating material  124  is a separate layer that gets coupled to the flexible housing  102  of the heating device  100  by heat sealing or by use of an adhesive material. 
     In some implementations, a label may be applied to or printed on the upper, outwardly-facing surface of the thermal insulating material  124 . 
       FIG. 4  is a view of a heating device  400  that is similar to the heating device  100  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     One difference between the heating device  400  in  FIG. 4  and the heating device  100  in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is that the heating device  400  in  FIG. 4  has six heater segments  104   a - 104   f  instead of eight heater segments  104   a - 104   h.    
     Also, the fasteners  422   a ,  422   b  in the heating device  400  of  FIG. 4  are hook and loop style fasteners unlike the mating mechanical hook fasteners  122   a ,  122   b  in the heating device  100  of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 5  is alternative view of the heating device  400  from  FIG. 4 . The view in  FIG. 5  is the backside of the view in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 5  shows an example of a label  500  on the heating device  400 . 
       FIG. 6  is a view of the heating device  400  from  FIG. 4  in a different configuration than the one shown in  FIG. 4 . More specifically, in the  FIG. 6  configuration, the portion of the heating device  400  that includes the second compartments  108  is folded over the portion of the heating device  400  that includes the first compartments  106  at the frangible seals  112 . This folding over at the frangible seals  112  is desirable as a shipping configuration because the fold at the frangible seals  112  helps strengthen the frangible seals  112  against the possibility of inadvertent rupturing during shipping, when the heating device  400  is likely most susceptible to rough handling. Thus, in a typical implementation, the heating device  400  may be configured as shown, and then packaged (e.g., inside a shipping container or outer wrapping) for shipping. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a heating device  700  wrapped around a baby bottle  760 . The heating device  700  in  FIG. 7  is the same as the heating device  400  in  FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 . The wrapped configuration shown in  FIG. 7  is a preferred configuration of the heating device  700  for heating a baby bottle  760 . More particularly, in the illustrated configuration, the heating device  700  is wrapped around the baby bottle  760  with its label (and thermal insulation) facing in an outward direction and with the external surface of the contoured flexible sheet facing the baby bottle  760 . In this configuration, if the frangible seals have not already been ruptured, the heating device  700  can be squeezed to rupture the frangible seals and thereby initiate the exothermic reaction. The outwardly-facing thermal insulation keeps the outer surface/label cool to the touch, with most of the heat from the exothermic reaction exiting the heating device in an inward direction—into the baby bottle  760 . 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing an implementation of a contoured flexible sheet  816  for a heating device with exemplary dimensions (in inches) for the contoured flexible sheet  816 . The dimensions shown, of course, can vary (e.g., +/−10%) depending on specific application considerations. The contoured flexible sheet  816  in the illustrated implementation is for a heating device with six heating segments. The overall side-to-side dimension of the contoured flexible sheet  816  is 9 inches, the overall top-to-bottom dimension of the contoured flexible sheet  816  is 6½ inches. The distance from the bottom of the contoured flexible sheet  816  to the frangible seals location is 5 inches. The distance from the top of the contoured flexible sheet  816  to the frangible seals location is 1½ inches. The distance between pockets in adjacent heater segments is ¼ inch. The distance between one edge of a pocket to a corresponding edge in the next adjacent pocket is 1½ inches. The dimensions shown in this figure should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection being sought; they are simply illustrative of one version of the heating device. 
     The heating device may be packaged for sale in a variety of ways. In some implementations, the heating device may be packaged for sale as part of a kit that includes the heating device and one or more baby bottles that the heating device can be used with to heat or warm contents of the baby bottle. When shipped, the heating device may be provided (with or without baby bottles) in packaging and configured as shown in  FIG. 6 , with the portion of the heating device  400  that includes the second compartments  108  folded over the portion of the heating device  400  that includes the first compartments  106  at the frangible seals  112 . 
     A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     For example, the heating device can be used to warm or heat baby bottles or fluid contained in a baby bottle. However, it also can be used to warm or heat a wide variety of other products. 
     The specific exothermic reactions mentioned above involve water and calcium oxide. There are other possibilities as well. One of those other possibilities is the exothermic solution of anhydrous calcium chloride in water. This is a rather low energy reaction and may be used to heat very small quantities of product with a comparably bulky heater. Several other chlorides may be used similarly. They all tend to be lower energy and therefore may yield bulkier heaters. 
     The physical configuration of the heating device can vary. For example, the physical configuration, relative and absolute dimensions, and number of heater segments, compartments, and frangible seals in a heating device can vary. Moreover, the absolute and relative quantities of the reactants and/or the oil coating can vary as well. Several different types of oil and oils having different solubility values are possible. 
     The types of fasteners can vary—and can include any one or more of a variety of different types of mechanical fasteners including a wide variety of hook designs, hook and loop style fasteners, adhesive materials (peel-away or otherwise), etc. 
     The heating device can include other features including, for example, soft material near a top edge of the heating device to prevent a baby from accidentally contacting the sharp upper edge of the heating device&#39;s flexible housing while drinking from the bottle. 
     Manufacturing processes can vary. For example, adhesive or hook and loop fastening strips may be added before the device is installed in the final packaging for marketing. Many other manufacture sequences and assembly processes are equally valid. If a mechanical hook design is chosen (e.g., as in  FIG. 1 ) this may be generated as part of the original pouch production. 
     When the device is applied to a bottle (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 7 ), the granule pouches are pressed tightly against the wall of the bottle containing the material to be heated. The liquid pouches are then squeezed to break the frangible seals and the heating reaction starts. Typically, all of the frangible seals will be broken in this manner. It may be noticed, however, that in very warm weather it may be desirable to initiate less than the maximum number of heaters. 
     While this specification contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any inventions or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments of particular inventions. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable sub-combination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination or variation of a sub-combination. 
     Similarly, while operations are disclosed herein as occurring in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all represented operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. 
     Other implementations are within the scope of the claims.