Fluid Conditioning Apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for fluid conditioning of an object and materials located therein. The apparatus comprises a vessel, a perforated carriage insert, and a lid, The vessel further includes a liquid in fluidic communication with the perforated carriage insert. A circulating means is mounted within the vessel and is driven by an external power source.

Claims

1. An apparatus for fluid conditioning comprising: a. a vessel having a floor and at least one vertically extending wall terminating in a vessel rim, the vessel having a circulating means; b. a carriage for holding a container, the carriage sized for insertion into the vessel and away from the circulating means, the carriage having a bottom portion and at least one vertically extending carriage wall, the carriage bottom portion and at least one vertically extending carriage wall having a plurality of perforations; c. a fluid within the vessel in fluidic communication with the carriage; and d. a drive means for transmitting power to the circulating means.

2. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 1, wherein the vessel further comprises a handle.

3. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 1, wherein the circulating means is a rotating blade.

4. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 1, wherein the carriage comprises at least one arm, the at least one arm positioning the carriage bottom portion away from the circulating means by securing against the vessel rim.

5. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 1, wherein the carriage bottom portion is positioned away from the circulating means by abutting an inside surface of the vessel.

6. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 1, wherein the fluid is water.

7. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 1, wherein the fluid further comprises ice.

8. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 7, wherein the fluid further comprises salt.

9. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 1, wherein the drive means is a motor.

10. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 1, further comprising a vessel lid, the vessel lid sized for mounting on the vessel rim.

11. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 10, wherein the vessel lid comprises a membrane extending across the vessel lid surface, the membrane provided with at least one slit defining at least two leaves, the at least two leaves bending to receive a portion of the container that protrudes above the vessel rim as the container rests within the carriage.

12. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 1, further comprising a vessel lid, the vessel lid sized for mounting on the carriage.

13. An apparatus for fluid conditioning comprising: a vessel having a floor and at least one vertically extending wall terminating in a rim, the vessel comprising a circulating means and a handle, the circulating means being a rotating blade; a carriage for holding a container, the carriage sized for insertion into the vessel and away from the circulating means, the carriage comprising a plurality of perforations and at least one arm, the at least one arm positioning the carriage bottom portion away from the circulating means by securing against the vessel rim; c. a fluid within the vessel in fluidic communication with the carriage, the fluid being water; and d. a drive means for transmitting power to the circulating means, the drive means being a motor.

14. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 11, wherein the fluid further comprises ice.

15. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 14, wherein the fluid further comprises salt.

16. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 11, further comprising a vessel lid, the vessel lid sized for mounting on the vessel rim.

17. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 16, wherein the vessel lid further comprises a membrane extending across the vessel lid's surface, the membrane provided with at least one slit defining at least two leaves, the at least two leaves bending to receive a portion of the container that protrudes above the vessel rim as the container rests within the carriage.

18. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 11, further comprising a vessel lid, the vessel lid sized for mounong on the carriage.

19. An apparatus for fluid conditioning comprising: a. a vessel having a floor and at least one vertically extending wall terminating in a rim, the vessel comprising a circulating means and a handle, the circulating means being a rotating blade; b. a carriage for holding a container, the carriage sized for insertion into the vessel and away from the circulating means, the carriage comprising a plurality of perforations, the carriage bottom portion being positioned away from the circulating means by abutting an inside surface of the vessel; c. a fluid within the vessel in fluidic communication with the carriage, the fluid being water; and d. a drive means for transmitting actuating power to the circulating means, the drive means being a motor.

20. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 19, wherein the fluid further comprises ice.

21. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 20, wherein the fluid further comprises salt.

22. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 19, further comprising a vessel lid, the vessel lid sized for mounting on the vessel rim.

23. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 22, wherein the vessel lid further comprises a membrane extending across the vessel lid's surface, the membrane provided with at least one slit defining at least two leaves, the at least two leaves bending to receive a portion of the container that protrudes above the vessel rim as the container rests within the carriage.

24. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 19, further comprising a vessel lid, the vessel lid sized for mounting on the carriage.

25. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 5, wherein the carriage bottom portion comprises at least one carriage leg, the at least one carriage leg abutting an inside surface of the vessel.

26. An apparatus for fluid conditioning according to claim 19, wherein the carriage bottom portion comprises at least one carriage leg, the at least one carriage leg abutting an inside surface of the vessel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The accompanying figures and drawings, incorporated into and forming part of the specification, service to further illustrate the present invention, its various principles and advantages, and its varying embodiments:

[0014] FIG. 1 depicts a vertical cross sectional view of an assembled fluid conditioning apparatus showing an infuser ready for conditioning.

[0015] FIG. 2 depicts an assembled perspective view of the fluid conditioning apparatus showing the vessel into which a wine bottle and its contents are being conditioned within the carriage.

[0016] FIG. 3 depicts an assembled vertical cross sectional view of the fluid conditioning apparatus showing the vessel into which a bottle and its contents are being conditioned within the carriage.

[0017] FIG. 4 depicts an exploded perspective view of the fluid conditioning apparatus.

[0018] FIG. 5 depicts an assembled perspective view of a fluid conditioning apparatus showing the vessel into which a bottle and its contents are being conditioned while in a carriage that is supported by one arm.

[0019] FIG. 6 depicts an assembled perspective view of a fluid conditioning apparatus showing a vessel into which a tea bag is being conditioned while in a carriage that is supported by four arms.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Provided is a fluid conditioning apparatus that operates to rapidly cool or heat a container, or beverage therein, or infuse a liquid through rapid fluidic communication. FIG. 1 shows a vertical cross sectional view of an assembled fluid conditioning apparatus. A vessel 1 and handle 11 rest atop a circulating means. A carriage 7 is inserted into the vessel. Upon full insertion into the vessel 1, the bottom portion of the carriage 8 abuts the lower portion of the vessel wall 4. This keeps the carriage 7 from falling into the circulating means, in this case a rotating blade 12. Water 10 at a desired temperature fills the vessel and the carriage. An infuser 22 is placed into the carriage 6 and a flat vessel lid 23 is placed onto the vessel rim 5. The crankshaft 26 is turned and actuates the rotating blade 12, in turn driving the water 10 within the vessel. As it is driven within the vessel 1, the water flows through the perforations 9 in the carriage and around and through the infuser 22, rapidly and continuously exposing the contents of the infuser (e.g., loose tea leaves, coffee grounds) to the water and thus infusing it. The flat vessel lid 23 prevents the driven water 10 from splashing out of the vessel 1. After a time sufficient to infuser the water, the crankshaft 26 may be deactivated, the flat vessel lid 23 removed, and the carriage 7 extracted from the vessel 1, leaving the vessel empty save the infused water.

[0021] FIG. 6 illustrates an alternate infusing configuration. Depicted there is an assembled perspective view of the claimed invention showing a vessel with multiple vessel walls 3 without a lid mounted on the vessel rim 5. A carriage 7 is inserted into the vessel. Multiple carriage arms 13 extend from the carriage and secure against the vessel rim 5 holding the carriage above the rotating blade 12. The vessel is filled with water 10 that can flow within the vessel and through the carriage perforations 9. A tea bag 25 is placed into the carriage. The motor 15 is activated and actuates the rotating blade, driving the water within the vessel and carriage at a desired speed. For example, if the user wishes to infuse the water over a longer period of time, the user may select a reduced motor speed resulting in slower water movement within the vessel and reduced risk of driven water splashing out of the vessel, obviating a vessel lid. Once the water has been infused for a desired amount of time or to a desired extent based on the user's visual inspection of the water within the vessel, the motor 15 may be deactivated via motor controls 27, carriage 7 and tea bag 25 removed, and vessel 1 used to dispense the infused liquid.

[0022] By isolating the source of fluid movement from the object receiving the thermal or communicative fluid interaction, the claimed invention can also condition a beverage as illustrated in FIG. 2. Depicted there is a vessel 1 with a handle 11 that rests atop a motor 15 as in FIG. 6. A carriage 7 is placed into the vessel and the bottom portion of the carriage 8 abuts the lower portion of the vessel wall 4 to prevent the carriage from falling into the rotating blade 12. A wine bottle 20 rests within the carriage and water 10 at a desired temperature is filled into the vessel and carriage. A lid rests atop the vessel rim 5. The lid has a flexible surface 16 across which multiple slits 18 are drawn creating leaves 19. Because the neck of the bottle 20 extends above the vessel rim 5, the leaves 19 flex to closely drape the neck of the bottle. FIG. 4 depicts an exploded assembly view of the configuration depicted in FIG. 2. When in use, the motor 15 is activated via control 27 thereby actuating the rotating blade 12 which itself drives the water within the vessel and carriage. The seal created by the flexible leaves conforming to the neck of the bottle 20 prevent water from splashing outside of the vessel. Once the bottle and its contents are heated or cooled by the circulating water to a desired temperature, the motor can be deactivated, lid removed, and bottle extracted from the carriage.

[0023] The fluid conditioning or the bottle illustrated in FIG. 2 may be compared with the fluid conditioning of a bottle illustrated in FIG. 5. Depicted there is a vertical cross sectional view of the claimed invention showing a vessel 1 with a lid 28 mounted on the carriage 7. A carriage 7 is inserted into the vessel. A single carriage arm 13 extends from the carriage and secures against the vessel rim 5 holding the carriage above the rotating blade 12. The vessel is filled with ice 14 and water 10, the water being able to flow within the vessel and through the carriage perforations 9. Salt 29 is also added to the vessel to decrease the freezing point of the water within the vessel and improve thermofluid performance. When in use, the motor 15 actuates the rotating blade 12 to drive the fluid water within the vessel and through the carriage. The carriage acts to keep the ice and can-like container away from the rotating blade vet allows the water and ice mixture to rapidly cool the can-like container and its contents. Where the user would not provider excessive actuating power to the rotating blade via the motor 15 and its controls 27, a lid would be unnecessary as the water and ice mixture would not attain sufficiently angular velocity to spill over the vessel rim 5.

[0024] Where more rapid fluid conditioning is desired, or when the container to by fluidly conditioned is large enough such that it would extend above the vessel rim, a vessel lid, as depicted in FIG. 3, with a domed portion 24 may be used. The shape of the vessel may allow for alternative means of maintaining separation between the carriage and the circulating means. For example, where the vessel walls are largely vertically parallel to each other, the carriage's bottom portion may have one or more legs which extend from the carriage's bottom portion and stand on or against the vessel's inner surface, such as its floor provided each leg's footprint is located sufficiently away from the path of the circulating means.

[0025] As exemplified in FIG. 1, the claimed invention can infuse a liquid with a desired substance, the infusing action generally involving exposing the liquid to particulate substances without the particulate escaping into the liquid. Just as the claimed invention could be used to create tea, it may also be used to infuse cooking oil with herbs or infuse spirits with fruit, other flavor-sources, or simply ice.

[0026] Although the above detailed descriptions relate to specific preferred embodiments as the inventor presently contemplates, it will be understood that the invention in its broad aspects includes mechanical and functional equivalents of the elements described herein. Various details of design and construction may be modified without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention which is set forth in the following claims.