Ultraviolet disinfection for a water bottle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11173221-B2
Application number	US-201816176336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2018
Priority date	Oct 31, 2017
Publication date	Nov 16, 2021
Grant date	Nov 16, 2021

Abstract

Disinfection of a surface, such as a mouthpiece of a water bottle, using ultraviolet radiation is disclosed. A cover assembly can include a cover configured to selectively enclose the surface to be disinfected, such as the mouthpiece. The cover assembly can be configured such that ultraviolet radiation can be emitted into an interior volume at least partially formed by the cover and including the surface. The cover assembly can further include a power source which provides power to one or more ultraviolet light sources that emit the ultraviolet radiation. The cover assembly can be a mouthpiece cover assembly physically separate from a container and top cover or integrated in the top cover. A container and a top cover including one or more features for improved cleanliness are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A structure comprising:
a container, the container having an opening to receive a fluid, wherein the container includes:
a first fluid storage region;
a second fluid storage region in fluid communication with a mouthpiece, wherein the second fluid storage region is selectively enclosed by a top cover; and
a one way valve allowing fluid to flow only in a direction from the first fluid storage region to the second fluid storage region, wherein the one way valve comprises a filter to filter particles from the fluid to the first fluid storage region before entering the second fluid storage region;

a removable top cap configured to be selectively secured to the container near the opening of the container, the mouthpiece having a maximum diameter that is smaller than the maximum diameter of the top cap;
a set of top cover ultraviolet radiation light sources mounted to the top cover over the second fluid storage region and configured to emit ultraviolet radiation directed into an interior volume of the second fluid storage region; and
a mouthpiece cover assembly configured to be removably attached to at least one of: the container or the top cap, the mouthpiece cover assembly including:
a mouthpiece cover having a maximum diameter that is larger than the maximum diameter of the mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece cover is configured to fit over the mouthpiece, enclosing the mouthpiece without contacting the mouthpiece and without enclosing a top surface of the top cap, wherein the mouthpiece cover contacts the top surface of the top cap when enclosing the mouthpiece;
a set of ultraviolet light sources, wherein at least one ultraviolet light source is mounted to the mouthpiece cover, wherein the set of ultraviolet light sources are configured to emit ultraviolet radiation directed into an interior volume at least partially formed by the mouthpiece cover and an interior volume formed by the container and the top cap surrounding the mouthpiece; and
a power source mounted to the mouthpiece cover, wherein the power source provides power to the set of ultraviolet light sources.

2. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the mouthpiece cover assembly further includes a control unit configured to manage operation of the set of ultraviolet light sources.

3. The structure of claim 2 , further comprising:
at least one sensor located on at least one of: the top cap of the container or the mouthpiece cover of the mouthpiece cover assembly, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to provide data to the control unit indicating a status corresponding to whether the mouthpiece of the container is covered by the mouthpiece cover.

4. The structure of claim 3 , wherein the control unit is configured to automatically turn on the set of ultraviolet light sources in response to the mouthpiece being covered by the mouthpiece cover.

5. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the mouthpiece cover assembly further includes a visual indicator configured to indicate that at least one of the set of ultraviolet light sources is on.

6. The structure of claim 1 , wherein at least one interior surface of the mouthpiece cover includes an ultraviolet reflective material.

7. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the mouthpiece cover assembly further includes a securing mechanism for securing the mouthpiece cover to at least one of: the container or the top cap of the container.

8. The structure of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the container or the top cap of the container includes:
an additional set of ultraviolet light sources mounted to the at least one of the container or the top cap, wherein the additional set of ultraviolet light sources are configured to emit ultraviolet radiation directed into the interior volume formed by the container and the top cap; and
an additional power source mounted to the at least one of the container or the top cap, wherein the additional power source provides power to the additional set of ultraviolet light sources.

9. The structure of claim 1 , wherein a bottom of the container is removable to provide access to the interior volume formed by the container and the top cap, and wherein the bottom of the container comprises at least one ultraviolet light source configured to irradiate the interior volume formed by the container and the top cap.

10. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the cover further includes:
a cover power source configured to provide power to the set of cover ultraviolet light sources.

11. A bottle assembly, comprising:
a container having an opening defining an internal volume for storing fluid, wherein the internal volume of the container includes a first fluid storage region, a second fluid storage region, and a one way valve allowing fluid to flow only in a direction from the first fluid storage region to the second fluid storage region, wherein the one way valve includes a filter to filter particles from the fluid in the first fluid storage region before entering the second fluid storage region;
a top cap configured to be selectively secured to the container near the opening of the container;
a top cover configured to selectively enclose the second fluid storage region of the container, wherein the top cover is configured to selectively enclose the opening of the container;
a mouthpiece mounted to the top cover, wherein the mouthpiece is in fluid communication with the second fluid storage region; and
a mouthpiece cover assembly configured to selectively enclose the top cover and the mouthpiece, the mouthpiece cover assembly including:
a mouthpiece cover for covering the top cover and the mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece cover is configured to cover the top cover and the mouthpiece without contacting a surface of the top cover or a surface of the mouthpiece, wherein the mouthpiece cover and the top cap at least partially form an interior cap volume when the mouthpiece cover contacts a top surface of the top cap;
at least one ultraviolet light source mounted to a top surface of the mouthpiece cover, wherein the at least one ultraviolet light source is configured to emit ultraviolet radiation directed into the interior cap volume toward the mouthpiece;
a set of ultraviolet light sources mounted to the top cover over the second fluid storage region, wherein the set of ultraviolet light sources are configured to emit ultraviolet radiation directed into the second fluid storage region;
a control unit configured to manage operation of the at least one ultraviolet light source and the set of ultraviolet light sources; and
a power source, wherein the power source provides power to the control unit, the at least one ultraviolet light source, and the set of ultraviolet light sources.

12. The bottle assembly of claim 11 , wherein the mouthpiece cover assembly is integrated into the top cap.

13. The bottle assembly of claim 11 , wherein a bottom of the container is removable, and wherein the bottom of the container comprises at least one ultraviolet light source configured to irradiate the internal volume of the container including the first fluid storage region.

14. The bottle assembly of claim 11 , wherein the mouthpiece cover assembly further comprises a securing mechanism for securing the mouthpiece cover to at least one of: the container or the top cap of the container.

15. The bottle assembly of claim 11 , further comprising at least one sensor located on at least one of: the top cap of the container or the mouthpiece cover of the mouthpiece cover assembly, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to provide data to the control unit indicating a status correspo

Assignees

• Sensor Electronic Tech Inc

Inventors

• Dobrinsky Alexander

Classifications

• B65D51/24 Primary

  combined {or co-operating} with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes · CPC title

• B65D47/147

  for snap-on caps · CPC title

• A61L2/10 Primary

  Ultraviolet [UV] radiation · CPC title

• A45F3/16

  Water-bottles; Mess-tins; Cups · CPC title

• B08B7/0057

  by ultraviolet radiation · CPC title