US3200879A

US3200879A - Liquid warming device

Info

Publication number: US3200879A
Application number: US167993A
Authority: US
Inventors: George R Scanlon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-12-21
Filing date: 1961-12-21
Publication date: 1965-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 1982-08-17

Description

AU 17, 1965 G.`R. scANLoN Y 3,200,879

LIQUID WARMING DEVICE Filed DSC. 2l, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1.

mvEN'ron: GEORGE R. SCANLON Y ATTORN EY Aug. 17, 1965 s. R. scANLoN LIQUID WARMING DEVICE Filed Dc. 21, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGS.

4 BY/fm f4 f ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,200,879 LIQUHD WARMING DEVICE George R. Scanion, 119 @renard St., Franklin, Pa. Filed Dec. 2l, i961, Ser. No. 167,993 S Ciaims. (Cl. 16S- 73) This application is a continuation-impart of my application, Serial No. 695,974, led Nov. l2, 1957, and now abandoned.

My invention relates to a liquid warming device and more particularly to a device for obtaining rapid warming of a small quantity of liquid.

As is well known during the early life of an infant it is necessary to feed the infant at frequent spaced intervals throughout the entire twenty-four hour period of a day and in substantially all lof such feedings a liquid formula is employed. Accordingly it has become general practice to prepare a sniiicient quantity of a liquid formula to last during an entire day and store individual feeding quantities in glass bottles in a refrigerator until they are needed. Such a procedure then requires that the individual bottles be heated as they are used to the proper temperature for an infants feeding. Heretofore it has been general practice to heat the individual bottles by either partially immersing the liquid-filled bottle in water and heat the water in any suitable manner or immerse the liquid-filled bottle in a stream of hot water. Such prior practices require a considerable period or time due to the poor thermal conductivity of glass which inherent delay is quite annoying in many cases, particularly in the early morning feeding period. Prior rapid warming devices have also been developed, however, they have not been satisfactory due to their intricate structure and their resulting high cost.

Accordingly one object of my invention is to provide an inexpensive liquid warming device of simplified construction for rapidly heating a small quantity of liquid.

Another specific object lof my invention is to provide and improved liquid warming device having a tubular heat exchanger means, one end or" which is closed and which heat exchanger means may quickly be inserted over an open-ended bottle with the ow of fluid therebetween controlled by means of a unique valve supported by the heat exchanger means.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a new and improved liquid warming device having an elongated, cup-shaped, heat exchanger and a novel valve means for controlling huid flow which is quickly insertable into the open end of the heat exchanger and over the open end of a bottle.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved valve of simplified construction for controlling fluid flow therethrough in opposite directions.

Another specifies object of my invention is to provide a new and improved valve comprising a tapered cupshaped member having .openings extending radially outward in the sides thereof adjacent the base and an openended distributor portion extending upwardly from such base.

Another specific object of my invention is to provide a new and improved valve comprising a tapered cupshaped member having openings extending radially outward in the sides thereof adjacent the base and an open ended distributor portion extending upwardly from such base and which cup-shaped member has internal means for obtaining a rapid attachment of a bottle thereto.

A further specic object of my invention is to provide a new and improved two-piece valve comprising a tapered tubular member having openings therein extending radially outward adjacent one of its ends and an open-ended central portion extending across and upwardly from such one end.

ICC

Still another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved flow control valve comprising a formed member having an elongated portion with a flange extending laterally outwardly from one end thereof with such flange having a plurality of openings extending therethrough and such control portion having an opening extending axially therethrough.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a new and improved flow control valve comprising a formed, generally tubular member having a generally hemispherical formed end portion which is encompassed by a formed tubular member and one of which members is provided with grooves to permit uid to flow therebetween.

These and other objects of my invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred forms of my invention when taken in conjunction with the following drawings in which:

FlG. 1 is a side elevational view of a liquid warming device constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention shown attached to a bottle and which warming device is immersed in a stream of water,

FiG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the central portion of FIG. 1 with portions thereof broken away to more cleariy show the structure thereof,

FiG. 3 is an enlarged partial side elevational and partial cross sectional view 0f another valve constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention,

4 is a cross sectional view of the liquid warming device as shown in FIG. 2 taken substantially along the lines d--f-i thereof;

5 is an enlarged partial side elevational and cross sectional view or" still another valve constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention,

6 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of one end portion of another warming device constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention with a portion thereof broken away to more clearly illustrate the structure thereof,

FiG. 7 is an assembled side elevational view of the device as shown in FiG. 6 with a portion thereof shown in section to more clearly show the structure thereof,

FiG. S is a View similar to FIG. 7 of another warming device constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention,

FlG. 9 is a View similar to FiG. 7 of one symmetrical side portion of another warming device constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention,

FIG. l() is a View similar to FIG. 7 of one symmetrical side portion of another warming device constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention.

Referring to FIGS. l and 2 it will be noted that a liquid warming device constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention comprises a thin walled tubular heat exchanger L?. which is closed at one end. As the heat exchanger 2 is employed as a heat transferring member, it is formed from a suitable material having a high thermal conductivity such as aluminum. A cupshaped valve 4;- is partially inserted within the open end of the heat exchanger 2 so as to be tightly received therein in any suitable manner. Although `the valve 4 may be tightly located in the heat exchanger 2 in any suitable manner, for the purposes of my invention, it is desirable that such a tight t may be quickly made and broken to permit ready assembly and disassembly of the hereafter described structure. Accordingly, the valve 4 is formed with a base portion 14 having an outwardly divergent tapered sidewall 6 whereby the valve 4 may be quickly wedged into the open end of the heat exchanger 2 with the base portion 14 being located inwardly of theheat exchanger 2. In the form of my invention shown in t on FIGS. 2 and 4 the sidewall portion 6 of the valve 4 is of uniform thickness so that the inner circular surface 8 thereof is also tapered divergently outward.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the sidewall 6 of the valve 4 is provided with a plurality of radially outwardly extending passageways 12 inwardly adjacent the hase por tion 14 thereof whereby the inner portion of the valve 4 is connected to the outer surface thereof. In the embodiments of my invention shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the valve 4 is also provided with an integral lluid distributor portion 16 which extends upwardly from the lower edge of the base portion 14 with its upper end being spaced above the laterally adjacent upper edge of the sidewall portion 6. Accordingly, in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 like reference numerals have been employed to identify like parts. As shown, the distributor portion 16 is of an irregular open-ended, hollow form having a central opening 18 extending therethrough which is of a cross sectional area on all lateral planes substantially larger than the combined area of the passageways 12 to permit rapid ilow of a fluid therethrough as hereinafter described. Although the fluid distributor 16 may be of Various shapes, a generally nipple shape has been found to be satisfactory, and, as shown, the fluid distributor portion 16 has a lower hemi-spherical portion 25, the upper end of which terminates into an elongated tubular portion 22 with the central axes of each of the

portions

20 and 22 being coincident. It will be noted that the greater portion of the outer surface of the tubular portion 22 is spaced centrally between the inner surface 8 and that the outer surface of the portion Ztl extends downwardly therefrom and outwardly towards the inner surface S with its lower edge being spaced inwardly from the inner end of the passageways 12 whereby fluid can readily flow therebetween and is directed towards the inner end of the passageways 12.

In using the liquid warming device of my invention it will be appreciated that a standard open-ended bottle 10, which is usually of glass, has previously been filled with a suitable liquid formula which exists at a temperature which is too cold for direct infant feeding. Accordingly, the liquid-filled bottle 10 is initially held or supported in an upright position and the valve 4, which has previously been wedged into the heat exchanger 2, is then wedged over the upper open end of the bottle 10. In view of the taper of the inner surface 8 a tight lit between the surface 8 of the sidewall portion 6 and the end of the bottle 10 is obtained by such wedging action. Another equally satisfactory method of assembling these components is to initially wedge the valve 4 onto the open end of the bottle 1t) and thereafter wedge the heat exchanger 2 onto the valve 4. In actual use a slight counter-rotation of the heat exchanger 2 and bottle 10 has been found to facilitate such assembly and insure a tight fit between the valve 4, the heat exchanger 2 and bottle 10. Once such assembly has been completed it will be noted that the longitudinal axes of the heat exchanger 2 and the bottle 10 are generally in longitudinal alignment. n

Once the described requisite assembly has been completed the entire assembly is located in a position as shown in FIG. 1 with the heat exchanger 2 being located lowermost and with the generally aligned longitudinal axes of the heat exchanger 2 and the bottle It) extending at anV angle to the horizontal. At the same time the assembly is so positioned the heat exchanger 2 is placed within a flowing stream of hot water so that the hot water engages the upper outer surface of the heat exchanger 2 adjacent the valve 4. Such engagement of the heat exchanger 2 by the water stream 30 causes the water stream 30 to be dispersed and run both around and down along the outer surface of the heat exchanger 2 whereby a large percentage of the outer surface of the heat exchanger 2 isconstantly engaged by a dispersed running stream of hot water. For the purposes of my ini vention the average household hot Water temperaturejis satisfactory. During such water immersion of the heat exchanger 2 the bottle 10 is hand held and if desired may be oscillated laterally of its logitudinal axis whereby the initial contact point of the water stream 3l) on the heat exchanger 2 is varied.

With the bottle V10 and the heat exchanger 2 in the position as shown in FIG. 1, Vthe liquid formula in the bottle 15 will gravitationally ilow from the bottle 10 into the inner portion of the valve 4 between the distributor portion 16 and the sidewall portion 6 through the passageways 12 and into engagement with the inner surface of the heat exchanger 2 outwardly adjacent the outer end of the passageways 12. Thereafter the cold liquid formula will flow gravitationally downwardly along the inner lower surface of the heat exchanger 2. In View of the hot water flowing over the outer surface of the heat exchanger 2 and the high thermal conductivit,r of the heat exchanger 2 the cold liquid formula will be heated during the period it flows from the bottle 10 into the heat exchanger 2; It has been found that by proa Viding small cross sectional area passageways 12 that the liquid formula is distributed in a thin layer along the inner surface or a porti-on of the inner surface of the heat exchanger 2 whereby liquid can quickly be heated by the heated heat exchanger 2. In addition, by providing small passageways 12 the total elapsed time for the liquid llow from the bottle 1t) to the heat exchanger 2 is of a sufficient duration to heat the liquid formula to the desired feeding temperature. It will be appreciated that as the bottle 10 empties the heat exchanger 2 will become full and accordingly the heat exchanger 2 is of a capacity to receive the entire contents of the bottle 10.

Once the heat exchanger 2 is lfilled the entire assembly is withdrawn from the water stream 3) and inverted to an upright position so that the heat exchanger 2 is above the Ibottle 10. When the assembly is so inverted the heated liquid formula flows rapidly through the central opening 18 of the distributor 16 back into the bottle yil). In View of the enlarged area of the central opening 18 of the distributor portion 16 such return liquid llow occurs at a substantially faster rate than the rate of fluid lloW through the passageways 12. After the bottle 10 is refilled the heat exchanger 2 and valve 4 assembly is easily removed by merely being twisted off the bottle 1t) by hand and a suitable nipple assembly located -on the open end of the bottle 1t) in a well known manner so that it may be employed for infant feeding.

In view of the above description it will be realized that the sidewall portion 6 of the valve 4 is provided with a sufficient taper on its outer surface so that the outer ends of the passageways 12 are spaced inwardly from the inner surface of the heat exchanger 2 whereby they function as submerged orifices to direct the cold liquid from the bottle 10 forcefully against the inner surface of the heat exchanger 2 whereby the formula is dispersed by such contact. It will be realized that with the bottle 10 in the inverted position as initially described, that a higher lhydraulic pressure ywill exist on the passageways 12 than on the upper end of the opening 18 whereby the lluid will flow through the'passageways 12 as described. In View of the air in the heat exchanger 2 being displaced by the liquid formula such air entrapped will iiow upwardly through the opening 18 into the bottle 1li. When the entire assembly is inverted after being removed from the water stream the hydraulic pressure on the opening 18 and passageways 12 are the exact opposite, that is, a higher hydraulic pressure exists at the lowerend of the opening y1S than at the level of the passageways 12 so that the liquid formula flows through the opening 18 at a rapid rate into the bottle 1li and the displaced air in the bottle 1lb ilows through the passageways 12 to the heat exchanger 2. j

Although a plurality of radially extending arcuately spaced passageways have .been employed, it will be realized that when the assembly is held in the inverted position the uppermost passageways 12 may not necessarily provide a iiuid fiow path due to the low hydraulic pressure existing thereon. Arcuately spaced passageways 112 are preferably provided, however, in order that the assembly may be employed in any relative position of the assembled heat exchanger 2, valve 4 and bottle ld. In addition, in order to obtain liquid tight lit between the heat exchanger 2 and the valve 4, the bottle i0 and the valve 4, the valve 4 may desirably be formed from any suitable slightly resilient material, such as a plastic material, whereby the described wedging may be quickly accomplished and whereby the wedged joints may be quiclily broken. `In general, as the standard bottle I@ is provided with an external thread 26, the material of the valve 4 is preferably of sufficient resiliency to force the sidewall portion 6 radially outwardly so that the thread 26 is embedded `within the sidewall portion 6 as shown in FIG. 2. Also, the lower portion of the distributor portion 16 is preferably semi-spherical in `form to direct the ilowing iiuid from the bottle 10 towards the lowermost passageway or passageways 12 as the bottle l0 starts to empty. Although the valve 4 and heat exchanger 2 are described as being circular, it will be appreciated that various cooperable configurations may be employed therefor without departing from the broad spirit and scope of my invention.

EFIG. 3 illustrates a modification of my invention wherein the inner surface of the sidewall portion of the valve 4 is provided with an integral radially inwardly extending G-ring portion 32 for tightly engaging the outer surface of an open-ended bottle. FIG. 5 illustrates still another embodiment of my inventi-on in which a valve is formed from two cooperating parts. In the embodiment of FIG. 5 like reference numerals with a superscript prime thereafter have been employed to identify parts of the assembly which are identical to those of the valve 4 previously described. Thus, as shown the valve 4 comprises an annular member 35 having an annular base portion 14 through which a separate hollow, distributor portion 16 is inserted. The distributor portion I6 is provided at its lower end with -an integral outwardly extending ange portion 37 which engages the lower outer surface of the base portion 14 of the annular member 35 so that the valve 4 assembly is identical to the valve 4 heretofore described. In addition it will be noted that the inner surface S of the .annular member 35 has been provided with integral thread 39 to threadedly receive the outer thread 26 of the bottle Jl in a manner as is well known in the art. It will be appreciated that, if desired, the embodiment of my invention shown in FIG, 2 may also be provided with an internal thread 39. inasmuch as the assembled member 35 and the distributor portion I6 are identical in all the respects to the previously described embodiments, further description thereof is not believed warranted. It will be noted that with this two-piece assembly a standard infants feeding nipple may be employed for the distributor portion 16 by enlarging the opening in the upper end thereof.

FIGS. 6, 7, 8, 9 and l0 illustrate other embodiments of my invention which differ in struc-ture by which function in the same manner as the embodiments previously described; accordingly, a description of the operation of such embodiments is not necessary. In the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 the fluid control valve comprises a fluid distributor 4d which is a formed tubular member having an upper tubular portion 42 the lower end of which flares outwardly and terminates into a lower generally hemispherical portion 44. An integral flange 45 extends radially outwardly of the entire periphery of the lower end of the portion rIhre lower portion of the tubular portion 42 and the hemispherical portion 44 is encompassed by a tapered tubular member 46, the

lower end of which butts aganst the upper surface of the dange 4e.

The lower outer surface of the portion 44 extends up- Wardly from the ange 45 at a slight taper and is of a size to be tightly received within the lower portion of the tubular member 46. Thus, the tubular member 46 is secured to the distrbutor 40 to form a unitary valve structure by forcing the lower inner surface of the tubular portion 46 into wedging engagement with the outer surface of this portion 44 upwardly adjacent the flange 45. In order'to facilitate such assembly the tubular member 46 .and the distributor 4@ are made from a suitable plastic material having suliicient resiliency to obtain such wedge fit between the member 46 and the distributor 40 and also to permit the distributor 40 to be separated from the member 46 for cleaning.

In order to permit fluid to flow, as described, during the heating portion of the cycle the outer surface of the hemispherical portion 44 and the surface of the flange 4S butted by the member 46 is provided with a plurality of open ended, connected, arcuately spaced, formed indentations 4S whereby uid passageways 49 are provided between the inner surface of the tubular member 46 and the outer surface of the hemispherical portion 40 and the upper butted surface of the flange 45 and the lower surface of the tubular member 46. The particular form of the indentations 48 and passageways 49 is not critical as long as suiiicient area is provided to permit fluid flow therethrough to obtain the desired heating time. An open area of 0.0025 square inch between the flange 45 and the tubular member 46 provides the desired liuid flow. As before, the outer edge of the flange 45 and the lowerrnost portion of the member 46 are spaced from the inner surface of the heat exchanger 2 so that outer ends of the passageways 49 are spaced from the inner surface of the heat exchanger 2. Also the member 46 is tapered at its outer surface so that it can readily be wedged into the open end of the heat exchanger 2. With this construction the member 4d and the distributor 40 are easily separated with the entire surface of the passageways 4S being exposed for cleaning.

p Standard formula bottles are threaded at their discharge ends and the inner surface of the upper end of the tubular member 46 is provided with integral threads Sil to cooperatively receive the open end of a bottle 10. In addition the member 46 is provided with an integral radially inwardly thin cross-sectional flange 52 which abuttingly engages the free or open end of the bottle 10 to provide a seal at the open end of the bottle 10 and prevent leakage of duid around the threads 5i).

In the embodiment of FIG. 8 a formed tubular control valve or uid distributor dit is wedged into the open end of the heat exchanger 2 and a tubular coupling member 62 connects the heat exchanger 2 to the bottle l0. As before, the distributor 64I comprises an upper tubular portion 64 which tapers outwardly into a lower hemispherical portion 66. The lower end of the portion 66 is provided with an integral radially outwardly extending iiange 68 which terminates at its outer end in an integral flange 7@ which extends laterally above and below the flange 6b so that the liange 7@ has an outer surface 72 of sufficient area to permit the distributor 60 to be wedged into the heat exchanger 2 and held therein by wedging engagement with the inner surface of the heat exchanger 2. A plurality of arcuately spaced open-ended passageways 74 extend through portions of the flanges d3 and 7i) to permit iiuid to flow from the upper surface of distributor d0 against the inner surface of the heat exchanger 2. Passageways 74 are inclined toward the surface 72 to obtain the fluid flow as heretofore described.

The coupling member 62 has an upper end similar to that of the tubular member 46 with portions thereof identified by the same reference numerals. The lower end of the member 46 is provided with a counter bore 76 of a size so as to be wedged onto the upper open end andere of a heat exchanger 2. Accordingly, as before, both the distributor 6@ and the coupling member 62 are formed from a suitably resilient plastic material. As shown in FIG. 8, the upper end of the heat exchanger 2 butts against the bottom of the counter bore 76 to provide a seal therebetween. It will be realized, however, that a cooperatingconfiguration at the inner end of the bore 76 is provided with different forms of heat exchangers 2 such as one having a flared open end such as shown in FlGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 9 illustrates another embodiment of my invention in which a coupling member 6?. is employed and in which a fluid distributor itl is wedged into the central portion 63 of the coupling member 62 which portion 63 is upwardly adjacent the counterbore 76 and is of a configurationrto closely receive the portion 44 of the distributor 40 in the manner described with reference to the tubular member 46. FIG 10 illustrates an embodiment similar to that shown in FIG. 7 except that a distributor fifi is provided which differs from the distributor itl in that a flange 45 is provided similar to flange l5 except that flange d5 is of a diameter to be closely received within the counterbore 76 at the inner end thereof. With such structure the open end of the heat exchanger 2 is wedged into the counterbore 76 into engagement with the lower surface of the flange 45. A plurality of arcuately spaced indentations 8f) are provided on the outer surface of the distributor Alfil' in alignment with passageways SZ'extending through the flange 45' to permit fluid to flow therethrough in the manner heretofore described. inasmuch as the distributor 4d' is captively located between the end of the counterbores 76 and the heat exchanger 2, it is not necessary that the distributor 49 be wedged into engagement with lthe counterbore 7d on the central portion 63 although such construction can be provided if desired.

Having described preferred embodiments of my invention in accordance with the patent statutes, itis to be realized that modifications thereof may be made without departing from vthe broad spirit and scope of my invention. Accordingly, it is respectfully requested that my invention -be interpreted as broadly as possible and as limited only by the prior art.

I claim:

1. A liquid warming device comprising, a hollow shell of a heat transmitting material lhaving an opening therein, a cup-shaped fluid flow control member tightly received within said opening `and extending at least in part into said shell with the open end thereof being located to receive the :open end of a vessel in spaced relationship with the inner surface of the base portion thereof, said control member having an elongated portion located intermediate the inner surface of the sidewall portion thereof and extending outwardly from said base portion thereof, an opening extending axially through said base portion and said elongated portion so that fluid may be readily emptied from said shell, at least one passageway extending through said sidewall portion with one end thereof being open to and located to permit fluid flow from the inner portion of said cup-shaped member and with the other end thereof being open to and located closely adjacent to the inner surface of said shell, and at least the portion of said passageway defining said other end extending laterally with respect to the inner surface of said shell to direct fluid thereagainst.

2. A liquid Warming device comprising, a hollow shell of a heat transmitting material having an opening therein, a cup-shapedr fluid flow control member tightly received within said opening and extending atleast in part into said shell with the open end thereof being located to 55 receive the operi end of a vessel in spaced relationship with the inner surface of the base portion thereof, said control member having an elongated portion located intermedi-ate the inner surface of the sidewall portion thereof and extending outwardly from said base portion thereof, an opening extending axially through said base portion `and said elongated portion so that liuid may be readily emptied from said shell, a plurality of passageways extending through said sidewall portion with one end of each of said passageways being open toand located to permit fluid flow from the inner portion `of said cupshaped member and with the other end of each of said passageways being open to and located closely adjacent to the inner surface of said shell, and said passageways extending laterally with respect to the inner surface of said shell to direct fluid thereagainst.

3. A fluid warming device as defined in claim 1 in which integral means are formed on the inner surface of said sidewall for facilitating the securing of the open end of a vessel therein.

4. A fiuid warming device as defined in claim 1 in which said elongated portion comprises a thin walled semi-spherical portion adjacent said base portion which is open to a thin walled tubular portion extending outwardly therefrom.

5. A liquid warming device as defined in claim 1 in which said opening extending through said base portion and said elongated portion has a cross-sectional area on all lateral planes thereof substantially greater than the cross-sectional area of said passageway so that fluid can be rapidly emptied from said shell.

6. A liquid warming device as defined in claim 2 in which said opening extending through said base portion and said elongated portion has a cross sectional area on all lateral planes thereof substantially greater than the combined cross sectional area of all of said passageways so that fluid can be rapidly emptied from said'shell.

7. A liquid Warming device as defined in claim 2 in which said passageways are upwardly convergent.

3. A liquid warming device comprising: a hollow shell of a heat transmitting material having an opening therein, a cup-shaped iiuid flow control member tightly received within said opening and extending at least in part into said shell with the open end thereof being located to receive the open end of a vessel in spaced relationship with the inner surface of the base portion thereof, said control member having an elongated portion locatedV intermediate the inner surface of the sidewall portion thereof and extending outwardly from said base portion thereof, an opening extending :axially through said base portion and said elongated portion so that fluid may-'be readily emptied from said shell, a plurality of straight passageways extending through said sidewall portion with one end of each of said passageways being open to the inner portion of said cup-shaped member immediately above the inner surface of said base portion and with the other end of each of said passageways being open to and located closely adjacent to the inner surface of said shell, and said passageways extending laterally with respect to the inner surface of said shell to direct fluid thereagainst.

References tlited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,458,027 6/23 Body 165-118 2,909,362 10/59 Scanlon 165-110 CHARLES SUKALO, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD J. MCHAEL, Examiner.V

Claims

1. A LIQUID WARMING DEVICE COMPRISING, A HOLLOW SHELL OF A HEAT TRANSMITTING MATERIAL HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN, A CUP-SHAPED FLUID FLOW CONTROL MEMBER TIGHTLY RECEIVED WITHIN SAID OPENING AND EXTENDING AT LEAST IN PART INTO SAID SHELL WITH THE OPEN END THEREOF BEING LOCATED TO RECEIVE THE OPEN END OF A VESSEL IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE INNER SURFACE OF THE BASE PORTION THEREOF, SAID CONTROL MEMBER HAVING AN ELONGATED PORTION LOCATED INTERMEDIATE THE INNER SURFACE OF THE SIDEWALL PORTION THEREOF AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BASE PORTION THEREOF, AN OPENING EXTENDING AXIALLY THROUGH SAID BASE PORTION, AND SAID ELONGATED PORTION SO THAT FLUID MAY BE READILY EMPTIED FROM SAID SHELL, AT LEAST ONE PASSAGEWAY EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SIDEWALL PORTION WITH ONE END THEREOF BEING OPEN TO AND LOCATED TO PERMIT FLUID FLOW FROM THE INNER PORTION OF SAID CUP-SHAPED MEMBER AND WITH THE OTHER END THEREOF BEING OPEN TO AND LOCATED CLOSELY ADJACENT TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID SHELL, AND AT LEAST THE PORTION OF SAID PASSAGEWAY DEFINING SAID OTHER END EXTENDING LATERALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID SHELL TO DIRECT FLUID THEREAGAINST .