Personal hydration system with cooling or warming capability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11717074-B2
Application number	US-202117232183-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2021
Priority date	Jul 9, 2020
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

Personal hydration systems with cooling and/or warming capability, and the components thereof are disclosed. The personal hydration systems may include a liquid transport system for transporting cooling or heating fluid between a reservoir and a pad, which pad is configured for wearing adjacent to a wearer's body. A pump is provided for pumping the liquid through the system. A drinking tube is connected to the system for removing liquid from the system. Liquid can be removed from the system for drinking by sucking on the end of the drinking tube. A check valve is used to bypass the pump so the user will not have to suck the liquid through the pump. Alternatively, liquid can be removed by spraying the liquid out of the drinking tube using the power of the pump.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable liquid transport system for attachment to a supporting article worn by a wearer, said system being configured for transporting cooling or heating liquid between a reservoir and a cooling and/or heating pad, which pad is configured for wearing adjacent to a wearer's body, wherein said liquid transport system is also arranged to transport the cooling or heating liquid to a drinking tube, and said liquid transport system is configured to be joined to such a reservoir and a pad, said liquid transport system comprising:
a pump for generating the flow of a liquid between a reservoir and a pad, and also to a drinking tube, said pump comprising an inlet and an outlet, wherein said inlet is configured to be in liquid communication with a reservoir and said outlet is configured to be in liquid communication with a pad and a drinking tube;
a drinking tube having a first end in liquid communication with at least one of said reservoir and said pad, and a second end portion being a free end,
wherein said liquid transport system further comprises a plurality of conduits, each of said conduits being in liquid communication with at least one of said pump and said drinking tube, wherein said liquid transport system is configured for directing the flow of liquid from the reservoir into multiple flow paths when said liquid transport system is joined to a reservoir and a pad, said multiple flow paths comprising:
a) a first flow path from a reservoir through said pump to a pad to deliver chilled or heated liquid from the reservoir to the pad;
b) a second flow path from the reservoir to the free end of the drinking tube without passing through said pump; and
c) a third flow path from one of the reservoir and the pad to the free end of the drinking tube using said pump.

2. The portable liquid transport system of claim 1 wherein at least some of said plurality of conduits comprise:
an outflow line having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the outflow line is for joining to a reservoir and said second end of said outflow line is joined to the inlet of the pump, wherein said first flow path flows through said outflow line; and
a bypass line extending between the outflow line and the drinking tube, wherein said second flow path flows through said bypass line, and said bypass line comprises a check valve in line with said bypass line, wherein when suction is applied to the free end of the drinking tube, the check valve will open to let the flow of liquid therethrough.

3. The portable liquid transport system of claim 2 wherein said plurality of conduits further comprise a pad inflow line having a first end joined to the outlet of the pump and a second end for joining to a pad, wherein said first end of said drinking tube is joined to said pad inflow line at a connection location, and said liquid transport system further comprises a pressure relief valve in line with said pad inflow line, wherein said pressure relief valve is located between said connection location and the second end of the pad inflow line.

4. A portable liquid transport system for transporting cooling or heating liquid between a reservoir and a pad, which pad is configured for wearing adjacent to a wearer's body, said liquid transport system comprising:
a) a pump configured for generating the flow of a liquid, said pump comprising an inlet and an outlet;
b) a first conduit having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion of the first conduit is configured for connecting to a reservoir, and wherein the second end portion of the first conduit is connected to the inlet of said pump;
c) a second conduit having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion of the second conduit is connected to the outlet of said pump, and wherein the second end portion of the second conduit is configured for connecting to a pad that is configured for wearing adjacent to a wearer's body;
d) a third conduit having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion of the third conduit is connected at a connection location to the second conduit between the first and second end portions of the second conduit, and wherein the second end portion of the third conduit is configured for drinking or withdrawing liquid therefrom;
e) a fourth conduit having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion of the fourth conduit is connected to the first conduit between the first and second end portions of the first conduit, and wherein the second end portion of the fourth conduit is connected to the third conduit between the first and second end portions of the third conduit;
f) a check valve in line with said fourth conduit wherein said check valve opens when suction is applied to the second end portion of the third conduit so that liquid may by-pass the pump and flow to the second end portion of the third conduit; and
g) a fifth conduit having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion of the fifth conduit is configured for connecting to a pad that is configured for wearing adjacent to a wearer's body and said second end portion of the fifth conduit is configured for connecting to a reservoir.

5. The portable liquid transport system of claim 4 further comprising a pressure relief valve in line with said second conduit and located between the connection location of the third conduit and the second end portion of the second conduit.

6. The portable liquid transport system of claim 5 wherein the pump is selected from the group consisting of an electric pump, a manual pump, and a passive pumping mechanism.

7. The portable liquid transport system of claim 6 wherein the pump comprises an electric pump, and the electric pump is a diaphragm pump.

8. The portable liquid transport system of claim 6 further comprising a bite valve joined to the second end portion of the third conduit.

9. The portable liquid transport system of claim 8 further comprising a switch electrically connected to said diaphragm pump for turning said pump on and off, wherein said switch is joined to the third conduit adjacent to said bite valve.

10. A wearable portable personal hydration system with cooling and/or heating capability, said personal hydration system comprising:
a reservoir for containing a cooling or heating substance that comprises at least some chilled or heated liquid, said reservoir being configured for carrying by a wearer on a supporting article;
a pad configured for wearing adjacent to a portion of a wearer's body, said pad being in liquid communication with said reservoir;
a pump in liquid communication with said reservoir and said pad, said pump configured for generating the flow of a liquid from one of said reservoir and said pad when said pump is activated, said pump having an inlet and an outlet;
a drinking tube having a first end in liquid communication with at least one of said reservoir and said pad, and a second end portion being a free end;
a plurality of conduits, each of said conduits being in liquid communication with at least one of said pump and said drinking tube, wherein said conduits are configured for directing the flow of liquid from the reservoir into multiple flow paths, said multiple flow paths comprising:
a) a first flow path from a reservoir through said pump to a pad to deliver chilled or heated liquid from the reservoir to the pad;
b) a second flow path from the reservoir to the free end of the drinking tube without passing through said pump; and
c) a third flow path from one of the reservoir and the pad to the free end of the drinking tube using said pump.

Assignees

• Us Gov Air Force
• Us Air Force

Inventors

• O'Brien Justin

Classifications

• A45F3/166

  Hydration systems incorporated in a backpack · CPC title

• A45F3/20 Primary

  of flexible material; Collapsible or stackable cups · CPC title

• A45F2003/166

  Human Necessities · mapped topic