Abstract:
Disclosed is an invention related to a warmer and cooler for a container that is programmably timed to engage a heating and/or cooling unit. The invention may be adapted for use with a baby bottle to facilitate nighttime feedings by programming when the unit should be turned on to heat the bottle or cool the bottle.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a warmer and cooler for a container that is programmably timed to engage a heating and/or cooling unit. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Without a doubt, a newborn and infant will feed at its own schedule. This child cries until it is fed. The problem is that often, a parent is required to go downstairs (or elsewhere) and remove milk/formula from the cooler (e.g., refrigerator) or prepare it from scratch, heat it, and then come upstairs, all while the child cries. Most parents recognize that the time spent making up the bottle is agonizing for the parent and the child, Any invention that minimizes the time interval between the child awakening and being fed would be greatly received. At the end of the feeding, any unused milk must be returned to the refrigerator otherwise spoliation will occur. Given the increasing cost of formula or the difficulty in obtaining breast milk, it is desirable to save as much unused milk as possible. 
     Most parents understand that the child will awake roughly on schedule. It is no wonder that many jokes are made about midnight or three a.m. feedings. This recognizes an important, but surprisingly overlooked characteristic; namely that children tend to be on a schedule. Accordingly, rather than trying to fight the nighttime feeding, the parent can work with the child to minimize parental disruption. This is especially important if there is a primary care giver and the primary breadwinner in the same room, such that prolonged crying awakens the breadwinner. 
     In addition, traveling poses unique problems for the parents and the children. In automobile travel it is nearly impossible to adequately transport milk/formula because of cooling and then subsequent heating problems. Similarly, in overnight lodgings, often times the lodgings are not equipped with ovens, microwave ovens, refrigerators, etc. and accordingly portable devices that can substitute for cooling and heating units would be well received. 
     Partial solutions exist to some of the identified problems. But they fail in most respects. Some devices include flash warmers that heat a bottle quickly. Flash warmers, however, require removal of the bottle from the refrigerator. This definitely means a trip to the refrigerator by the parent. Accordingly, even though flash warmers may reduce the time spent warming the bottle versus using a traditional stovetop method or the more dangerous microwave oven method, it still does not solve a problem associated with cooling a bottle. Most importantly, though, the flash wanner cannot be adapted to have a bottle ready for when the child awakes. And yet another problem with flash warmers is that there is no way to transport it in the car for long trips. The travel requirement relegates the parent to carrying separate bottle bags, usually with freezable gel packs. 
     One of the problems with flash warmers is that there is no way to keep the bottle cool during the night. Trips to the refrigerator are standard procedures. Given the child&#39;s generally consistent sleep schedule, flash warmers are no use even if the child is scheduled. This is because flash warmers cannot turn on or off as a function of time. Flash warmers simply turn on when manually activated by the parent. A bottle cannot be set into the warmer over the night because the milk or formula is left unrefrigerated. Accordingly, flash warmers have no timers to provide for automated warming or cooling. 
     Other devices in the art discuss having separate warming and cooling compartments. For those units that purportedly are day-night warmers (also known as dusk to dawn units), these warmers are not timed and nor are they self-contained units. Human intervention is still required to manually move the bottle from the cooling portion to the heat portion. In addition, the cooling unit is a freezeable gel pack that must be removed each morning, frozen, and replaced into the unit each night. Therefore, if the parent forgets to remove it in the morning, the unit is useless for that night. None of these are timed to provide automated warming and cooling within the same compartment or enclosure. In the mode of operation, these units generally require the following steps: freeze the gel pack ahead of time, prepare milk in bottle, insert bottle in cold compartment with frozen gel pack, remove bottle when child awakens, insert bottle into warming compartment, manually activate warmer, remove bottle when warm. As the frozen gel pack thaws during the course of the night, it becomes incapable of maintaining a cold enough temperature to safely store unused formula. Again, another trip the refrigerator may be necessary in the night to return unused formula. Accordingly, whilst the parent may save a trip to the refrigerator at the begining of the feeding cycle, one will likely be required at the end of the cycle. Plainly, the dusk to dawn warmers woefully fail to solve most of the problems associated with nighttime feedings. 
     The other problem with flash warmers or other dusk to dawn warmers/coolers is that there is no uniform heating/cooling or temperature modulation to maintain constancy. Thus it is hard to maintain thermoequilibrium. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The foregoing problems are solved and a technical advance is achieved by the present invention. Disclosed is timed container thermoregulation device that provides for automated warming and cooling of the container. One non limiting example of the invention includes an enclosure adapted to receive a container, a timer connected with the enclosure, and a thermoregulator to regulate the temperature of the container so that a parent can set a bottle in the container, keep it cool or refrigerated, and the enclosure warms the bottle at a preselected time or in response to a timed event or in response to a predetermined event. Thus, for example, if the parent knows the child generally awakes at 2:00 am, then the timer can be set for 1:55 am to engage the warmer such that child awakes when the bottle is warmed. This avoids the parent from having to engage in extensive activity just to prepare the bottle. 
     It should be noted that while the disclosed embodiments relate to baby bottles, it is understood that the invention may equally include baby food bottles, medicines, or the like. It is also understood that while many embodiments shown are for single bottles, the invention may be modified to accommodate many bottles. This is useful, for example, in the case where there are multiple unrelated babies (e.g, hospital nursery, day care centers, nurseries, etc.), multiple related babies in the same room (e.g., twins, triplets, etc.), or where the baby&#39;s schedule is such that the baby will feed multiple times in the night such that it would be convenient to have one bottle be warmed for the first feeding whilst the others stay cool; and then the other bottles are warmed later. 
     It should be noted that while some embodiments disclosed are discussed in relation to nighttime feedings, it is understood that the invention may used at any time of day. 
     It should be noted that use of adjectives or positional words, such as but not limited to “in”, “above”, “around” or any other word that indicates a position or location, it is understood that these words are used in their non-exclusive or non-limiting sense. Furthermore, terms may be used to indicate that the invention is open-ended with respect to the features described. These terms may be “include” “such as” “including” “having” “for example” or other types of open ended terms. For example, these terms are not limiting and thus a phrase termed as “such as” should be interpreted to mean “such as, but not limited to . . . ”. 
     The term “heatant” is used to denote the medium that carries the heat. Heatant may include, but is not limited to, a liquid, solid, vapour, or air. The term “coolant” is used to denote the medium that carries the cold. Coolants may also include a liquid, solid, vapour, or air. 
     It should be noted that not all the advantages described must all be found in the invention as the invention may include some or all of the advantages. Accordingly, all advantages described herein need not be present to appreciate the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is another embodiment of the invention. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 show some thermoregulation graphs. 
     FIG. 5 shows a cross section of one embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 6 shows a cross section of another embodiment. 
     FIGS. 7A-7D show some thermoregulation patterns. 
     FIGS. 8 and 8A show some additional embodiments. 
     FIG. 9 shows an exemplary input device. 
     FIG. 10 shows another embodiment. 
     FIG. 11 shows yet another embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 demonstrates an embodiment of the invention. Shown is the device  10  surrounding the container  12 , such as a bottle. The bottle  12  is not necessary for the invention but is shown merely to exemplify some of the invention&#39;s features. While shown as a bottle, the container  12  need not be a bottle, as it may be a food bottle, medicine, or any other container that can be refrigerated or cooled. Accordingly, the container  12  is not limited to any particular material or configuration. Surrounding the container  12  is a enclosure  14 , which in this embodiment is shown as a sleeve. Also shown is a control unit  16 , which further comprises a timer (T)  18 , a heating unit (H)  20 , and a cooling unit (C)  22 . Shown in phantom and inside the sleeve are the thermoregulation pipes  24 . A valve  23  may be provided in the unit to regulate the flow of heating and coolant. The piping  24  may be a single pipe but need not be. The control unit  16  is connected to a power source  26 . The power source  26  may be a standard cord with plug, an automobile adapter (e.g., car lighter adapter), or any other type of power source. 
     Accordingly, in operation, the cooling unit  22  sends coolant through the piping  24  to keep the bottle cooled. Once the timer goes off, the cooling unit may shut down and the heating unit may be actuated such that heatant is sent through the piping to heat the bottle. This embodiment is similar to a blood pressure cuff in which air is pumped into the sleeve. In this embodiment, the coolant is pumped via an input pipe  25  and exits the sleeve via an output pipe  27 . While the piping  24  is described as pipes, it may also comprise coils, wires, or the like. 
     FIG. 2 demonstrates another embodiment of the invention in which the bottle sits inside a box-like enclosure. Shown is the enclosure  14 , which can comprise an outer housing  28  that has a housing orifice  30  at the housing top surface  32 . The housing  28  also has a housing bottom surface  34 . The housing  28  may also include a drain port  36 , which may drain the contents of the housing interior  38 . Again shown are the Timer  18 , the heating unit  20 , and the cooling unit  22 . While shown near the bottom of the housing  28 , the components may be found anywhere in or around the housing  28  or enclosure  14 . The exemplary embodiment shows a more unitary approach to the invention in which all parts are contained in the housing. To reiterate, that while the components are found “in” the housing, it is understood that not all components need be totally inside the housing. Thus, while the bottle  12  is shown in the housing orifice  30  and in the housing interior  38 , the bottle need not be totally inside the housing. 
     In operation, the once the timer goes off, the cooling unit shuts down and the heating unit starts the heating process. In this example, the housing interior  38  may contain fluid, such as water or gel that heats and cools the bottle  12 . Thus, in this example, the cooling unit engages to keep the water cool, such that the cooled water cools the bottle. Subsequently, the heating unit heats this water to warm the bottle. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 demonstrate various heating and cooling patterns that can be programmed. In FIG. 3, a sample heat graph  40  is shown. The x-axis is time (t) and the y-axis is temperature. In any embodiment, the time can be programmed as seconds, minutes, hours, days, or as actual times; and similarly the temperature may be programmed in any temperature measurement, such as degrees Fahrenheit, degrees Celsius, or the like. 
     A temperature line  42  is shown cycling between a maximum temperature (Tmax)  44  and a minimum temperature (Tmin)  46 . In this particular example, the bottle has a starting temperature at time zero and heats up to the Tmax, then cools (either by reducing the heat application or engaging the cooling unit) until it reaches the Tmin at which it can heat up again and maintain a constant temperature. Shown in dotted lines that after n cycles, the unit can shut completely off and the temperature drops off. The Tmax and Tmin and constant temperature may be manually programmed, pre-programmed, or otherwise preselected. In one embodiment, temperatures may be factory set to avoid extreme heating, overheating, extreme cooling, or overcooling. 
     FIG. 4 demonstrates other temperature curves. Curve A shows the unit quickly heating (has a greater slope) to the Tmax, rather quickly dropping to the Tmin, heating for another cycle and maintains a constant temperature less than Tmax. Curve B shows a one-cycle operation that quickly heats and then maintains a constant temperature somewhere between Tmin and Tmax. Curve C shows a single cycle operation in which it heats quickly and then cools below Tmin, which means that either the heating unit shuts off completely and the cooling unit engages to return the bottle to the cooled state, or that the heating unit shuts off completely but the cooling unit does not engage. It is understood that in any embodiment, the number of cycles may vary, the speed of heating and cooling may vary, and the constant temperature may vary. As with any embodiment, there may be an auto shut off mechanism to prevent prolonged use. 
     FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the invention. Shown is a compartment that is in partial cross section. The outer housing  28  has an inner compartment  48 . The inner compartment  48  has an inner compartment wall  50 , a compartment floor  51 , with the inner compartment wall having an inner compartment wall surface  52 . Optionally, there may be a fluid level indicator  54  such as graduations and/or a sensor. The compartment floor has an outer floor surface  56 , which is the surface outside the interior of the compartment. The bottle  12  may be surrounded by thermoregulation piping  58 , which may be similar to piping  24 . The piping  58  may be rigid, partially rigid, or flexible; may be spaced beside the bottle  12  or may be spaced apart. Thus, a bottle may be easily inserted into the coils of the piping  58 . 
     Associated with the compartment floor may be a weight sensor  60 . This is optionally present so that the unit can know whether there is fluid in the compartment, indicate the presence of the bottle, indicate how much food is in the bottle, etc. Thus, the weight sensor may act as a safety device such that the absence of a bottle will be noted, or that there is no water bath fluid in the compartment, etc. This prevents dry heating, or prolonged heating. Thus, when the water is filled in the compartment, the sensor can be calibrated such that the addition of the bottle is noted and if the bottle is later absent, then the sensor or sensor alarm will so indicate. 
     Also shown in FIG. 5 is the drain port  36 . The port may include a valve, stopper, or the like to permit the compartment contents to be emptied. Also shown is the heating and cooling unit  20 ,  22  connected to the piping  58 . The valve  23  is shown between the units and thus may regulate the flow of heating and coolant through the piping  58 . Thus, in this operation, the cooling unit sends coolant through the piping  58  that cools the surrounding water in the compartment. Once the timer  18  is set off, the heating unit may begin heating the surrounding water in the compartment. Again, the cooling unit may be decreased or shut off completely when the heating unit engages. Thus, as shown, it is desirable (but need not be so) that the piping be near the bottle  12  so that the emitted heat and cold radiates from the pipes to the bottle quickly. Of course, the overall size of the unit may be configured to provide this. 
     FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the bottle  12  is shown in a basket  62 . The basket  62  may be porous or sieve-like and may have a handle  64 . In this regard, as a safety feature, since the bottle may be immersed in heated water it may be desirable to lift the bottle out in the basket, thus allowing the surrounding water to drip off the bottle and back into the interior. This avoids having to manipulate a hot bottle. Thus, it may be desirable to have the basket made of non-conductive material so that it or the handle can be easily grasped. It should be understood that the basket is optional. 
     In this embodiment, the thermoregulation piping  58  is shown outside the inner compartment wall  50 . Thus, the heating and cooling may be done via heating or cooling the wall, which subsequently heats or cools the interior. Optionally, the piping  58  may be adjacent to the inner surface  52  of the wall. Thus, the piping may be in direct contact with the water in the interior. 
     FIGS. 7A,  7 B,  7 C, and  7 D demonstrate various embodiments of the piping  58 . One purpose of the piping is to conduct the heating fluid or coolant around the compartment to heat or cool as desired. To maximize the thermoregulation, it is desirable that the piping be in maximum exposure to the interior water bath. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 7A, the piping may be coiled like a helix such that the piping has a circumferential component  66  and a longitudinal component  68 . Thus fluid will move circumferentially and longitudinally. In this embodiment, fluid may enter the pipe at input pipe  25 , be pushed up to the top coil and then it flows down and out via the output pipe  27 . 
     In FIG. 7B, the piping may also be a zigzag pattern. To facilitate the speed of the pipes conducting fluid, the pipes may include bridge pipes  70  to connect adjacent zigs or zags. 
     FIG. 7C demonstrates the circumferential view wherein the bottle would normally be inserted into the pipe center. 
     FIG. 7D describes an embodiment where the heating and cooling unit have their own piping such that the hot and cold piping alternate. As shown, coolant piping may be circular and the heating piping as square. The fluid in the piping may be heated or cooled by different units. 
     FIG. 8 is another embodiment of the invention. One non exclusive method to maximize heat or cool transfer to the bottle is to ensure that a maximal amount of piping  58  is configured in such as way to draw the most heat out of, or radiate the most heat into, the compartment. Accordingly, the compartment wall  50  may be provided with compartment grooves  72  such that the piping  58  travels partially within the grooves  72 . The compartment wall  50  may include a groove outer surface  71  that faces the interior of the compartment and a groove inner surface  73  that faces the exterior of the compartment  50 . Thus piping  58  is adjacent to the groove inner surface  73 . While the groove  72  is shown as a square, it can of course be any shape and is preferably configured to be similar to the exterior shape of the piping  58 . As with any embodiment, for example, shown in FIG. 8A, the groove  72  may be in the compartment wall  50  such that the compartment wall  50  surrounds the piping  58 . As shown in this example, the piping  58  is square shaped to be adapted to maximize the piping outer surface area with that of the surrounding inner groove surface  73 . Optionally shown in FIG. 8 is a thermoregulation plate  74 , which may be in lieu of or in addition to any piping  58 . For example, the thermoregulation plate  74  may be a thermoelectric module. In addition, although not shown, the bottle may sit atop a spacer so that it avoids direct contact with the heater. 
     FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary input device  76 . The input device  76 , while shown as a keypad, may also include a keyboard, voice activated module, a pointer, a touch screen, or any other type of inputting requirements to the invention. The input device may also include a display indicator  78 , which may be any type of display such as, but not limited to, LED, LCD, analog, lights, coloured lights, alarms, flashers, signs, or the like. The input device may include a variety of indicators  78 , such as lights to indicate: if the unit is on, receiving power, if in heating mode, if in cooling mode, if maximum temperature is reached, if minimum temperature is reached, or if the unit is in overload or other dangerous conditions. Thus, the indicator  78  may instantly tell the viewer what stage of operation the unit is in or how the unit is operating. 
     FIG. 9, by way of example, includes a keypad with various input buttons. A numeric keypad may be provided to input numeric data such as time or temperature. The unit may also include separate buttons to set the time, the alarm, the maximum temperature, the minimum temperature, the instant temperature, the time duration, instant heat, or instant cool. Of course additional buttons or input may be added. Furthermore, the unit may be voice controlled. Some of the features could include a time set (TS) button to set the current time; an alarm set (AS) to set when the alarm is to go off, a temperature maximum (Tmax) and temperature minimum (Tmin) to set the maximum and minimum temperatures respectively; an instant temperature (IT) to determine what the temperature currently; a time duration (TD) to determine how long the unit has been operating at the current temperature; an instant heat (IH) to flash heat; or an instant cool (IC) to rapidly cool the unit. Further by way of example, the unit may include red coloured lights to indicate if the unit is heating and/or if the maximum temperature has been reached; and/or blue lights to indicate if the unit is in cooling mode and/or has reached the minimum temperature. Other lights may be provided to determine if the optimal temperature has been reached. 
     In addition, the unit may include an audible alarm to wake the parent (e.g., LED in combination with piezo buzzer from Radio Shack part number 273-068). There may be a large visual display. The input device may also provide for multiple timers and timer bypass features to instant heat or instant cool the bottle. Timers are also adaptable from coffee machines. 
     FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the invention in which the compartment is fitted with separate heating and cooling units. In this embodiment, inside the compartment wall  50  is a heater coil  80 , such as a resistance wire. The heater coil  80  is in direct contact with the water bath inside and thus heats up. Cooling coils  82  may be distributed around the compartment in various configurations. In this regard, the thermoregulator will modulate between energizing the heating coils  80  and the cooling coils  82 . Accordingly, during heating the heater coil  80  will energize and heat the fluid while the cooling coils  82  are deenergized. In the cooling mode, the reverse is true. 
     In any embodiment, there may be temperature sensors to regulate the temperatures and to monitor safety temperatures, turn off the unit after prolonged periods of time. The temperature sensors may also cause the units to toggle between heating and cooling to either heat, cool, or maintain uniform temperatures, The sensor may be coated to keep deposits from forming on it and/or to reduce corrosion. The sensor may be a thermocouple, thermostat, or bimetallic strip. 
     In any embodiment, the heating methods may be heater coils, radiant heat, convection heating, or conduction. In another embodiment, the heat may be from exothermic reactions of two separate chemicals in separate compartments are then brought together causing an exothermic reaction. Once the timer goes off, valves in each compartment are opened causing the chemicals to come together. Compartments can be recharged with chemicals as needed. 
     In any embodiment the cooling or refrigeration methods can be recirculating water, an evaporator, cooling done with heat transfer fluid, fins and fans, thermoelectric cooling, Stirling Cycle, absorption, propane, thermoacoustic, or a heat sink. Miniaturized refrigeration may be adapted from existing small refrigeration units. For example, finned tubing is available from Heatron or Energy Transfer Inc. The fan can be a brushless DC motor fan, such as adapted from Micronel part F-80 or an AC motor such as V-72 from Micronel. Fans may also have an outside vent to draw outside air into the fan and perhaps an exit vent too. Capillary tubing to control the mass flow rate of refrigerant into the compressor is available from Wolverine Tube, Inc., of Decatur Ga. 
     The most common types of refrigerants include air, water, brine, ice, ammonia, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and such specially prepared substances as chlorofluorocarbons (CFC&#39;s), hydrofluorocarbons (HFC&#39;s), and methylene chloride. 
     Exemplary refrigeration mechanism could include a compressor with an evaporator in the reservoir tank and a condenser external to the tank, a pump to recirculate the liquid. The conduit tubes or piping may also have flush valves to flush out liquids and/or prevent growths of organic matter. 
     In an alternate embodiment, the invention may comprise a compressor operating at 115 volts to compress refrigerant R-22 to condenser via tubing. The compressor can be a Sanyo compressor 1.1 amps with a locked rotor rating of 2.75 amps. As compressor compresses, a conventional finned radiator is used for condensing the refrigerant gas into a liquid form. If the compressor is more than 1.1. amps, then a cooling fan may be used to ventilate the condenser coils. The liquified refrigerant is transported to a dryer and stored in a container for subsequent recycling or recirculation. 
     In the alternative, coolers adapted from ice cream makers with built in chilling systems may be used. Another alternative cooler can be adapted from a Cole Parmer Polystat refrigerated bath that has built in refrigeration compressor and immersion heating system. It operates from −20 to 200° C. Cole Parmer also has a circulator bath that may be used. 
     Heatsink technology may be used for cooling. To maximize the cooling the heatsink may have the largest surface area possible and have the best possible amount of airflow across the heat sink. Other adaptations for the heatsink include excellent connection with the compartment so that heat can easily travel from the compartment to the heat dissipation surface. A thermalconductive pad may be used to increase contact. The heatsink may include fins and may be adapted to maximize airflow over the heatsink and through the fins. The heatsink may be made of aluminum or copper, or any other metal that has good thermal conductivity. Heatsink designs may include extruded heatsinks, folded fin heatsinks, bonded fin heatsinks, die-cast, cold forged, milled, or cut heat sink. The heatsink fan may be a ball bearing or sleeve bearing fan. The fan may be chosen to maximize the airflow (CFM—cubic feet per minute). 
     An embodiment of the invention also includes heating/cooling by a thermoelectric module, which is a semiconductor device to which electrical power is supplied to a positive and negative pole. When power is applied to thermoelectric module, charge carriers within the device absorb heat from one side of a heat transfer plate and release it on the other side of the plate. One can use AC or DC current with the proper adapters if necessary. Examples of devices can be adapted from those made by Telurex, Inc. Another thermoelectric module is from KoolMate® available from UDO Corp., of Salem N.H. Switching the direction of the current will cause the reverse sides to become hot and cold respectively. A thermoelectric device can generate electricity if its two ends are held at different temperatures. Conversely, if the electrical current is applied—as opposed to induced by the temperature differential—this will induce a temperature differential between the two ends. Thus, a thermoelectric device is a heat pump that transfers heat by electric current application. Other thermoelectric heat transfer modules may be adapted from Borg Warner model no. 920-31. The thermoelectric module may be configured to work with a heatsink and fan. The thermoelectric module is useful because it provides for silent operation. 
     FIG. 11 describes an embodiment in which the thermoelectric module may be used. The compartment may include a first thermoelectric module  90  and a second thermoelectric module  92 . Each module has a heat dissipation surface  94  and a heat absorption surface  96 . The modules  90 ,  92  may connect to a current switch  98 . The heat dissipation surface  94  and the heat absorption surface  96  of each module  90 ,  92  are not in the same direction. In operation for example during cooling, the second module  92  will be absorbing heat from into its heat absorption surface  96  from the surrounding water. The first thermoelectric module  90  would normally be off. During heating, the second module  92  would be off and the first module  90  would be on. Since its heat dissipation surface  94  is facing the water, that heat will emanate into the surrounding water. The current switch  98  would control which module is being energized. While the modules are shown on the compartment floor, their location is not fixed as one or more modules may be present and they may be scattered around the compartment. 
     Furthermore, although not shown, there may be only one module with its cooling surface facing inside and the heating done by the alternate heating modes described herein. For example, the cooling may be done by a thermoelectric module but the heating done by heating coils or resistance wires. Again, current switch  98  may control the energizing of the modules and coils. As with any embodiment, a heatsink may be provided near the cooling module to further enhance cooling. 
     If there is only one thermoelectric module, that module may be both a heating and cooling unit; or if there are multiple thermoelectric modules, then each or any may be considered heating and cooling units. 
     Other embodiments of heating and cooling are disclosed in the following patents, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,114 to Leonoff; U.S. Pat. No. 6,064,044 to Jerome; U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,313 to Rothley; U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,709 to Smith; U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,171 to Osterhoff; U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,031 to Jensen; U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,746 to Gordon; U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,084 to Jensen; U.S. Pat. No 5,060,479 to Carmi; U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,920 to Carnagie; U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,318 to Forrester; U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,535 to Burrows; U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,458 to Cavalli; U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,262 to Reed; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,756,031 to Sanstrom. 
     Also shown in FIG. 11 is a shaker or agitator  100 . The bottle (not shown) may be rested on the agitator  100 . One non-exclusive reason to have an agitator is to shake the bottle during warming to reduce chances of heat bubbles. The agitator can be switched on/off separately or may also be separately programmable. The agitator can be readily adapted from model EW-12601-00 Lindberg/Blue M Refrigerated/Heated Shaking Bath by Cole Parmer, Inc. In this model, it also operates as a shaker, a refrigerated shaker, or a refrigerated utility bath. It provides for adjustable, reciprocating shaking. This bath is ideal for applications that require a reciprocating shaking motion with a temperature uniformity of ±0.1° C. A digital display simultaneously indicates both set and actual temperature. Built-in circulating pump ensures uniform bath temperature. 
     Other features of the unit may include a tie down or lid on bottle to keep bottle from floating up (keeps bottle immersed); the unit including the lid can be insulated too; or the lid—or any other part of the unit—can be neon and/or glow in the dark. The unit may also include compartments adapted to receive various bottles (e.g., Avent bottles tend to be wider; or bottles may be angled). There may also be multiple compartments (for many bottles) with multiple circuitry. In this regard, one alarm can turn on at a first time and the subsequent alarms at subsequent times. 
     Other features include adapters for a car lighter use or battery compartment for portability. Any compartment may be adapted for use with baby food bottles. Suction pads may be added to the bottom to increase safety. The thermoregulation pumps may also include a flow meter to regulate how fast the refrigerant cools down the water or how fast the heater heats the water to avoid flash heating/cooling and potential glass breakage or plastic cracks. Furthermore, the temperature sensor can be connected to the flow meter to avoid too rapid heating/cooling. The unit may also include a carrying handle. 
     In addition, a nightlight to illuminate surrounding area may be provided. For example, a low wattage bulb can be used to illuminate the area and avoid turning on room lights. The nightlight can be along one wall of the unit or may ring around the unit. The light can be always on if it is plugged in, or may have a manual on/off, or turn on once the alarm sounds or timer engages, or turns on once bottle is lifted off bottom plate (i.e., a weight sensor trips the nightlight on). 
     For increased safety, the unit may be provided with a breakaway cord so that an entanglement.will not pull the unit down, but will break the power cord. Various iterations of breakaway cords are in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,941,719; 5,480,313; 5,462,452; 5,399,102; 4,874,316; 4,045,105; 3,808,577; 3,611,271; 3,363,214; 2,696,594; 2,490,580; 2,456,548; 2,394,618; and 2,170,287; the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference. In general, these breakaway cords have interruptions in the cord in a male-female plug configuration such that the break will occur at the male-female junction. Other configurations include magnetic plate junctions. 
     Furthermore, the unit may also include a memory bank so that temperature information may be programmed. In this regard, the maximum temperatures may be set such that the maximum temperature is below the melting point of the bottle or below the melting point of disposable liners. Once programmed, the unit need not be reconfigured each time. In this regard, the unit would not normally burn the plastic bottle or liner. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, the unit may also comprise a sound receiver adapted to turn on when the baby cries. It is well-accepted that the baby&#39;s cry is often loud and of a certain high pitch. To this end, the unit may include a sound transceiver and receiver. The transceiver may be removable such that it may be placed in proximity to the baby. Once the baby begins cry, the transceiver receives the baby cry and transmits it to the unit receiver, which then activates the heater unit. Thus, the unit may be in one room and the transceiver in the baby&#39;s room. The unit may also be programmed by including a recording memory unit to record a baby&#39;s cry. Once the transceiver receives the crying noise and sends it to the unit receiver, the unit then compares the incoming signal with the preprogrammed cry to determine if the unit should engage the heating unit. The transceiver - receiver units may be readily adapted from the conventional baby room monitors. 
     It should be understood that the foregoing relates only to a limited number of embodiments that have been provided for illustration purposes only. It is intended that the scope of invention is defined by the appended claims and that modifications to the embodiments above may be made that do not depart from the scope of the claims.