Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    (Not Applicable)  
         STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    (Not Applicable)  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to baby wipes warmers, and more particularly to an improved baby wipes warmer having a liquid tank located therewithin which provides heated liquid vapors to the baby wipes for maintaining moisture and coloration of the baby wipes.  
           [0004]    Baby wipes have been marketed in the United States for many years. Essentially, baby wipes are small pre-moistened paper or synthetic (non-woven) towelettes and are typically available in packages to the consuming public. They are primarily used to cleanse the skin of infants and small children. The wipe-fluid content for these pre-moistened wipes is generally comprised of cleansers, lotions and preservatives.  
           [0005]    A few years after the baby wipes were introduced into the marketplace, various products for warming the wipes were made available to the public. Such products have been devised to comfort the baby wipe users from the inherent “chill” given off by the contact of the moistened wipes. For example, it is now a common practice for parents to employ the use of warm baby wipes on their children.  
           [0006]    These warming products are generally electric operated and come in two distinct styles. One is an “electric blanket” style which is sized to wrap around the external surfaces of a plastic baby wipes container. The other is a self-contained plastic “appliance” style which warms the accommodated baby wipes with its internally positioned heating element. Though such currently known and available baby wipes warming products achieve their primary objective of warming baby wipes, they possess certain deficiencies which detract from their overall utility.  
           [0007]    Perhaps the two greatest deficiencies of the prior art baby wipes warming products are the inabilities to sustain the moisture content and coloration of the baby wipes. More specifically, drying of the baby wipes occurs due to heating of their moisture which accelerates dehydration. Further, discoloration of the same appears to be inevitable because of a reaction of various chemicals in the wipes to heating. As such, even though these existing products may adequately warm the baby wipes, they cannot, however, seem to avoid the undesirable effects of dehydration and discoloration when warming them.  
           [0008]    Thus, there exists a substantial need in the industry, and in the infant products manufacturing business in particular, for a baby wipes warming product that can effectively provide warmth to the baby wipes without dehydrating and/or discoloring them. Further, there exists a need for a baby wipes warming product which can achieve these objectives in a user-friendly and time-efficient manner.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention specifically addresses and overcomes the above-described deficiencies of prior art baby wipes warming products by providing an improved baby wipes warmer that can warm baby wipes while substantially maintaining their original moisture content and coloration. Briefly, in order to accomplish such objectives, the present baby wipes warmer may utilize a heatable liquid tank assembly which can provide liquid vapors to the baby wipes through its at least one vapor aperture. Alternatively, the present baby wipes warmer may use an elevated support surface such as a suspension tray in lieu of the tank assembly in which the baby wipes supported thereon can be heated while sustaining their moisture and color through vapors rising from the heated liquid pool disposed thereunderneath. These as well as other features of the present invention will be discussed in more detail infra.  
           [0010]    In accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a baby wipes warmer for warming baby wipes while substantially maintaining their original moisture content and coloration. Such warmer comprises a housing with a pivotally engaged lid member that can open and close relative thereto. A liquid tank assembly is disposed within the housing in such a way that its upper tank surface is vertically surrounded by the housing&#39;s interior-side housing wall and horizontally closed off by the lid member. In this respect, an inside compartment is defined which can be selectively accessed by opening and closing the lid member.  
           [0011]    The liquid tank assembly is preferably fabricated from any heat conducting material such as metal (e.g., aluminum). The tank assembly comprises a liquid compartment which is formed between its upper and lower tank surfaces. The liquid compartment is used to hold any liquid that can produce vapors when heated such as water. By heating the liquid compartment, a portion of the liquid may change its physical state and flow into the inside compartment as vapors which helps to maintain the original moisture content and coloration of the baby wipes placed thereat. To allow the rising vapors to seep into the inside compartment from the liquid compartment, at least one vapor aperture is formed through the upper tank surface.  
           [0012]    A heating element is disposed within the housing relative to the lower tank surface for the purpose of heating the liquid. The heating element may be located in various positions to achieve such purpose. For example, the heating element can be placed within the liquid compartment itself adjacent the lower tank surface to substantially extend thereabout. However, the heating element can also be placed outside the liquid compartment and still provide the requisite heat to the lower tank surface by being adjacent thereto. It is specifically contemplated herein that any types of heating element such as an electrically powered heating pad may be used.  
           [0013]    In the first preferred embodiment, the upper tank surface is characterized by a generally flat support surface used for supporting the baby wipes thereon. This surface may be defined to be a part of the upper tank surface itself. In the alternative, however, the support surface can be formed by a suspension tray which is removably engaged upon a sponge material that extends through an exposed opening defined on the upper tank surface. If the latter configuration is used, the vapor aperture(s) of the upper tank surface is formed by the sponge itself as its inherent characteristics would allow the vapors to gradually flow therethrough. Moreover, a ridge may be formed around both types of support surfaces for confining the baby wipes within the physical boundary set thereby.  
           [0014]    Further in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, there may be provided a liquid reservoir which is set in fluid communication with the liquid compartment. The liquid reservoir may be disposed within the housing adjacent the liquid tank assembly, or alternatively mounted to an exterior of the housing. To establish fluid communication, any elongated and hollowed structure such as a conduit may be used to provide a flow channel between the reservoir and the liquid compartment. As will be demonstrated below, the liquid reservoir ensures that the liquid within the liquid compartment is always sustained at a certain level sufficient to provide adequate evaporation.  
           [0015]    In accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a baby wipes warmer which utilizes an elevated support surface such as a suspension tray in lieu of the tank assembly. The support surface is disposed within an inside compartment which is collectively formed by the interior-side housing wall and the upper housing wall. More specifically, the interior-side housing wall defines a generally flattened interior compartment surface used for placing the support surface thereon above the liquid level contained within the inside compartment. By doing so, the baby wipes accommodated thereon can be heated while sustaining their moisture and color through vapors rising from the heated liquid pool disposed underneath.  
           [0016]    In accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention, a liquid tank assembly in the form of an elongated central channel is embedded laterally along the flattened interior compartment surface. This assembly forming the elongated central channel includes a sponge material therewithin so that it may draw liquid out of the reservoir by capillarity. Similar to the first embodied baby wipes warmer, its upper tank surface comprises at least one vapor aperture which allows liquid vapor to travel therethrough.  
           [0017]    In illustrating the operation for all embodied baby wipes warmers, a stack of baby wipes may be placed within the inside compartment simply by opening and then closing the lid member. The liquid contained within the baby wipes warmer should be checked to ensure that there is sufficient quantity, i.e., water level present. This can be accomplished by checking the liquid reservoir (for the first and third embodiments) or the liquid level within the inside compartment itself (for the second embodiment). Thereafter, the baby wipes warmer may be plugged into an electrical outlet in order to activate the heating element (if not already done). By following this easy-to-follow procedure, portions of the liquid can transition into vapors when sufficiently heated which then travel upwardly through the vapor aperture(s) to contact the baby wipes so that they may be maintained in constant moisturized condition and coloration. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    These as well as other features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the drawings wherein:  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a baby wipes warmer constructed in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention and illustrating a stack of baby wipes positioned within its inside compartment;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the baby wipes warmer of FIG. 1 and illustrating a liquid reservoir which is exteriorly mountable to its exterior-side housing wall;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the baby wipes warmer of FIG. 1 and illustrating a heating element disposed between its water tank assembly and base member;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3A is a plan view of the water tank assembly of FIG. 3 and illustrating a plurality of vapor apertures which are formed through its upper tank surface;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the baby wipes warmer of FIG. 1 and illustrating a heating element immersed in a quantity of liquid contained within its water tank assembly;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the baby wipes warmer of FIG. 1 and illustrating a suspension tray which is placed upon a sponge extending through an exposed opening of its water tank assembly;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a baby wipes warmer constructed in accordance with a &#39;second preferred embodiment of the present invention and illustrating a suspension tray which is placed directly over a quantity of liquid contained within its inside compartment; and  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a baby wipes warmer constructed in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention and illustrating a sponge disposed within its water tank assembly which is in the form of a laterally extending central water channel. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]    Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and not for purposes of limiting the same, FIG. 1 prospectively illustrates a baby wipes warmer  10  constructed in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. As indicated above, the baby wipes warmer  10  is adapted to warm a stack of baby wipes  12  accommodated therein while maintaining the wipes  12  in a substantially moisturized condition and with their original coloration (i.e., white). Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the baby wipes warmer  10  may be formed to have a variety of external housing shapes, configurations, geometries, sizes and textures other than for that shown in the provided figures.  
         [0028]    Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the baby wipes warmer  10  comprises a housing  14 . This housing  14  may be fabricated from any rigid material, but plastic polymer is preferred. The housing  14  is formed having a main body member  16  and a base member  18 . More particularly, the body member  16  is peripherally defined by an exterior-side housing wall  20  with a base end  22  that engages onto the base member  18 . The base member  18  is contemplated to be used for supporting the baby wipes warmer  10  on any provided surface (e.g., desktop, floor, night stand, etc.) and may optionally include a plurality of adjustable foot pads  24  for this purpose.  
         [0029]    The housing  14  of the present baby wipes warmer  10  comprises a pivotally engaged top lid member  26  which is capable of opening and closing relative to the housing  14 . The lid member  26  may open and close utilizing any conventional methods such as using a door spring  28 , for example. When such lid member  26  is closed with respect to the housing  14 , it becomes an upper housing wall as it encloses the interior of the housing  14  from the outside. On the other hand, the opening of the lid member  26  allows access to an inside compartment  30  of the housing which will be discussed in more detail below. By accessing the inside compartment  30 , a stack of baby wipes  12  (layered or inter-folded stack) may be inserted and individually withdrawn for use.  
         [0030]    Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, a liquid tank assembly  32  is provided within the housing  14 . More specifically, the liquid tank assembly  32  is located between the body and base members  16 ,  18  when they are engaged to each other in the manner described above. Upon such placement, the upper tank surface  34  of the tank assembly  32  collectively forms the inside compartment  30  with the interior-side housing wall  36  and the lid member  26  of the housing  14 . To describe this aspect in more detail, the upper tank surface  34  becomes vertically surrounded as the tank end  38  of the interior-side housing wall  36  is rested against the upper tank peripheral edge  40  thereof. The upper tank surface  34  is then horizontally closed off by the top lid member  26  forming the closed position. By such structural interaction, the requisite inside compartment  30  may be formed.  
         [0031]    Although FIG. 2 illustrates the liquid tank assembly  32  to be generally rectangular in configuration, it is expressly stated herein that the tank assembly  32  may be configured in other ways without deviating from its operational capabilities.  
         [0032]    The liquid tank assembly  32  defines a lower tank surface  42  which is positioned beneath the upper tank surface  34  towards the base member  18 . The upper and lower tank surfaces  34 ,  42  are connected to each other by a surrounding side tank surface  44  to thereby form a liquid compartment  46  within the tank assembly  32 . This liquid compartment  46  is used for holding any liquid  48  that can evaporate when sufficiently heated and thus produce vapors  49  which are able to moisturize. A type of liquid  48  which is exemplary of this nature is water. However, the use of any fluids which may safely moisturize the baby wipes  12  are foreseeable.  
         [0033]    Because the contained liquid  48  must evaporate upon sufficient heating, the liquid tank assembly  32  should therefore be made from any material that is capable of rising in temperature in reaction to heating. It is preferred that the tank assembly  32  is fabricated from a heat-conducting material such as metal. More preferably, aluminum would be desirable for fabricating the tank assembly  32  as it reacts very well to heating.  
         [0034]    As shown in FIGS. 3 and 3A, the upper tank surface  34  includes a plurality of vapor apertures.  50  extending therethrough which provide fluid communication between the inside and liquid compartments  30 ,  46 . The vapor apertures  50  allow the vapors  49  to pass through from the liquid compartment  46  to the inside compartment  30  so as to heat the wipes and maintain the baby wipes  12  in a constant moisturized condition and coloration. Preferably, the vapor apertures  50  are formed within the support surface  52  which is surrounded by a ridge  54  formed therearound. The support surface  52  is primarily used for accommodating the baby wipes  12  in which the surrounding ridge  54  confines them in place to prevent side-to-side movement.  
         [0035]    Referring now to FIG. 5 only, an alternative embodiment of the support surface  52  is depicted. In this embodiment, the upper tank surface  34  may instead define an exposed opening  56  between the ridge  54 . A support surface  52  may be disposed within this opening  56  in a manner as to extend substantially thereabout. Any structure providing a horizontal flat surface can be defined as the support surface  52  such as a suspension tray, for example. Preferably, a sponge material  58  extending through the exposed opening  56  from the liquid compartment  46  is used to removably secure the support surface  52  in place. The sponge  58  is preferred for this purpose as its naturally formed pores may simulate the vapor apertures  50  thereby permitting the vapors  49  to seep therethrough.  
         [0036]    Referring now to FIGS.  3 - 5 , a heating element  60  is provided within the housing  14  relative to the lower tank surface  42 . As noted above, the purpose of the heating element  60  is to heat the tank assembly  32  so that portions of liquid  48  are changed into vapors  49 . The heating element  60  may be disposed in various positions to achieve this purpose. One position is to locate the heating element  60  within the liquid compartment  46  so that it is immersed in liquid  48  to substantially extend adjacent the lower tank surface  42  (best shown in FIG. 4). The heating element  60  may also be positioned outside the liquid compartment  48  to extend adjacent the lower tank surface  42  (best shown in FIGS. 3 and 5). Although the use of various heaters is contemplated, it is preferred that an electrically powered heating pad is utilized.  
         [0037]    Referring now back to FIGS. 1 and 2, a liquid reservoir  62  may optionally be incorporated into the present baby wipes warmer  10 . However, the use of the liquid reservoir  62  is not mandatory as the liquid level within the liquid compartment  46  may be manually refilled. The liquid reservoir  62  is in fluid communication with the liquid compartment  46 . By such communication, the reservoir  62  can provide additional liquid to the liquid compartment  46  when needed. The additional liquid may be provided manually by operation of a valve device which may open and close the liquid flow into the liquid compartment  46 . The liquid reservoir  62  includes a refill cap  64  preferably fabricated from a rubber material for selectively accessing its interior.  
         [0038]    Similar to the heating element  60 , the liquid reservoir  62  may also be located in multiple positions. For example, it can be disposed within the housing  14  adjacent the liquid tank assembly  32  (shown in FIG. 7). Alternatively, the liquid reservoir  62  may be exteriorly mounted to the exterior-side housing wall  20  (shown in FIG. 1). Irrespective of its positioning, the important concept to be derived is that the reservoir  62  fluid communicates with the liquid compartment  46  for providing additional liquid  48  thereto when needed. To establish fluid communication, any elongated and tubular structure  66  such as a conduit may be used to form a reservoir channel  66  between the reservoir  62  and the liquid compartment  46 . In this respect, the liquid reservoir  62  ensures that the liquid  48  within the liquid compartment  46  is always kept at a certain level which is sufficient to provide adequate evaporation.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 6 illustrates a baby wipes warmer  70  which is constructed in accordance with a second preferred embodiment. The second embodied baby wipes warmer  70  is substantially identical to the first embodiment with one major distinction. More specifically, the baby wipes warmer  70  of the second embodiment eliminates the use of the liquid tank assembly  32 . Rather, its interior-side housing wall  72  is adapted to define a substantially flattened interior compartment surface  74  which extends generally parallel to the base member  18 . By merely closing the top lid member (not shown), an inside compartment  78  is formed. A quantity of liquid  80  is directly contained within this compartment  78 .  
         [0040]    A support surface  82  which is defined by a suspension tray  84  is disposed within the inside compartment  78 . However, it should be noted that the support surface  82  is positioned above the pool of liquid  80  as it must accommodate the baby wipes  12  thereon. The support surface  82  may be engaged upon the interior. compartment surface  74  through any known process such as bonding or fastening. By utilizing this arrangement, the baby wipes  12  are adequately heated while sustaining their moisture and color through vapors  86  rising from the heated liquid pool  80  disposed immediately underneath the support surface  82 .  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 7 shows a baby wipes warmer  90  which is made in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. This warmer  90  is substantially identical to the first embodied baby wipes warmer  10  except that its liquid tank assembly  92  is fabricated in the form of an elongated central channel and is embedded laterally along the interior compartment surface  94 . This elongated central channel serving as the liquid tank assembly  92  includes a sponge  96  within its liquid compartment  98 . The sponge  96  operates to draw the liquid  100  out of the adjacently located liquid reservoir  102  by capillarity. Similar to the tank assembly  32  of the first embodiment, its upper tank surface  104  includes a plurality of vapor holes  106  which allow the liquid  100  to evaporate therethrough.  
         [0042]    The operation of the first embodied baby wipes warmer  10  is described herein which is simultaneously representative for operations of the second and third embodied baby wipes warmers  70 ,  90 . First, a stack of baby wipes  12  to be warmed is placed within the inside compartment  30  simply by opening and then closing the lid member  26 . The liquid  48  contained within the baby wipes warmer  10  should be checked to ensure that there is sufficient level present for adequate evaporation. This can be accomplished by visually checking the liquid reservoir (for the first and third embodiments) or the liquid level within the inside compartment itself (for the second embodiment). Thereafter, the baby wipes warmer  10  should be plugged into an electrical outlet (not shown) in order to activate the heating element  60  (if not already done). By following this easy-to-follow procedure, portions of the liquid  48  can transition into vapors  49  when sufficiently heated which are then provided to the baby wipes  12  so that they may be maintained in constant moisturized condition and coloration.  
         [0043]    Additional modifications and improvements of the present invention may also be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, the particular combination of parts described and illustrated herein is intended to represent only certain embodiments of the present invention, and is not intended to serve as limitations of alternative devices within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Category: 1