Apparatus for heating bottles and method of manufacturing same
View Patent ↗An apparatus ( 10 ) for warming a vessel ( 12 ), such as a baby bottle with milk or formula therein, includes a panel of expandable material ( 14 ) having a number of flexible heating elements ( 26 ) embedded therein. The expandable material includes an outer layer of neoprene rubber ( 46 ) and an inner layer of stretchable polyester material ( 28 ), such as lycra. The heating elements ( 26 ) are finger-like in construction and can flexibly adjust relative to one another to closely accommodate and conform to a baby bottle ( 12 ) inserted into the apparatus ( 10 ). The heating elements ( 26 ) are made of an electrically resistive material and receive electricity from a power supply.
1. An apparatus for warming a vessel having an outer surface with contents therein, comprising:
a panel of expandable material formed into a tube having a top opening and a bottom opening;
a plurality of heating elements, having free ends, attached to the stretchable material; the heating elements including a plurality of finger heating elements emanating from a single base heating element; the finger heating elements separating from one another and conforming to a vessel residing within the tube;
means for interconnecting the heating elements to a power supply to heat up the heating elements;
whereby the panel of expandable material with heating elements attached thereon being closely conformed to the outer surface of a vessel for warming the contents contained therein.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the panel of expandable material includes a layer of stretchable polyester and a layer of neoprene.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of heating elements reside between the layer of stretchable polyester and the layer of neoprene.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a bottom cap of neoprene is attached to the tube to close the bottom opening.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a lanyard attached to the panel of flexible material.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the means for interconnecting the heating elements to a power supply to heat up the heating elements is a cigarette car lighter adapter.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heating elements are attached to the panel of expandable material by zig zag stitching.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heating elements include electrically resistive material.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the free ends of the heating elements are tapered.
10. A method of manufacturing an apparatus for heating a vessel, comprising the steps of:
providing a panel of stretchable polyester material having a first side and a second side and a top end and a bottom end;
attaching an array of heating elements to the stretchable polyester material;
attaching a panel of neoprene to the top end of the panel of stretchable fabric;
forming the panel of stretchable polyester material and panel of neoprene, with heating elements on the panel of polyester material, into a tube having a first length;
folding the panel of stretchable polyester over the panel of neoprene into a tube having a second length shorter than the first length; the tube having a open bottom end and an open top end; and
securing the panel of stretchable polyester to the panel of neoprene.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
attaching a bottom cap to the open bottom end.
12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of:
securing the panel of stretchable polyester to the panel of neoprene with zig zag stitching.
13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:
attaching an array of heating elements to the stretchable polyester material with zig zag stitching.
14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of:
turning the panel of stretchable polyester and panel of neoprene inside out.
15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising the step of:
attaching a lanyard to the panel of neoprene.