US20060130492A1

US20060130492A1 - Multi-functional child care storage

Info

Publication number: US20060130492A1
Application number: US11/313,752
Authority: US
Inventors: Yoon Park
Original assignee: Daewoo Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: WiniaDaewoo Co Ltd
Priority date: 2004-12-22
Filing date: 2005-12-22
Publication date: 2006-06-22
Also published as: WO2006068389A1; JP2008525099A; EP1848304A1

Abstract

A multi-functional child care storage includes a plurality of functional parts partitioned by partitions. The plurality of the functional parts include a refrigerating/heating compartment for keeping therein an infant product and/or a child care product at a proper temperature; and a sterilizing/drying compartment for sterilizing, drying and keeping the infant product and/or the child care product hygienically. The refrigerating/ heating compartment includes a thermoelectric element; a heat absorbing/radiating plate connected to the thermoelectric element, for selectively absorbing or radiating heat; and a temperature sensor for detecting an indoor temperature. The sterilizing/drying compartment includes an ultraviolet germicidal lamp for irradiating ultraviolet rays into an inner space of the sterilizing/drying compartment; and a heat radiation device for discharging hot air to dry the inner space of the sterilizing/drying compartment.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a multi-functional child care storage; and, more particularly, to a multi-functional child care storage as a customized child care product mainly for infants and their caregivers, capable of safely keeping infant and child care products in a centralized space and providing multi-functions such as a refrigerating/heating cabinet, a sterilization dryer and a humidifier or an air cleaner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In general, a recently improved standard of living increases an interest in hygiene more and more, and a declining birth rate intensifies an investment and an interest in children.
Moreover, with environmental problems and changes in dietary habits and lifestyles, the number of infants suffering from an atopic dermatitis and various allergic diseases is sharply increasing. Further, although a nursing hour per a child has increased due to a trend towards a nuclear family and a declining birth rate, time allowed for the nursing has actually decreased because of increased social activities of women.
In spite of those circumstances, household electric appliances mainly for nursing purposes or innovative child care products related thereto have not yet appeared in the market. Therefore, it is required to develop household electric appliances mainly for nursing purposes, for example, capable of hygienically keeping infant and child care products in a centralized space.
In other words, there has not yet been suggested an innovative device capable of reducing a nursing hour and a working intensity with shortened caregiver's moving lines by safely keeping the infants and childcare products in a centralized space and providing multi-functions of a sterilizer for preventing various diseases, a humidifier or an air cleaner for a child's room or the like.
Currently, for example, since breast milk, formula, infant medical supplies, infant foods or the like are stored together with other various groceries in a conventional refrigerator in a kitchen, smells are mixed and a hygienic condition is deteriorated. Therefore, a caregiver needs to constantly move to a place where the refrigerator is placed during nursing, which increases the nursing hour and the working intensity.
Besides, many of the baby foods need to be heated so that a baby can immediately eat. To do so, conventionally, the caregiver needs to move to a place where the microwave oven is placed.
Meanwhile, since infants have a weak immunity against various germs, there is a need to sterilize infant products such as feeding bottles, infant feeding sets, gauzes, handkerchiefs, toys or the like. However, most of the caregivers keep using the infant products without sterilization because of difficulties therein and a time required therefor, so that negative effects on infant health may be caused.
Recently, a sterilizer for use in a kitchen or the like has spread to households. However, a conventional sterilizer is designed to be suitable for kitchenware and cookware and thus inappropriate for the sterilization of the infant products. That is, a sterilizer mainly for infant products has not been provided yet.
Further, in most cases, in order to control a humidity of a room where infants mainly stay, a general humidifier needs to be additionally purchased.
Furthermore, an additional household air cleaner is needed to make an indoor space where infants stay pleasant and hygienic, which also requires extra costs. Since, however, the general air cleaner is designed to remove indoor contamination sources for grown-ups, it may be inappropriate to be used for infants.
If necessary, it is possible to additionally purchase and install a refrigerator, a sterilizer, a humidifier or an air cleaner in a baby room for the nursing. However, this is not reasonable due to a high purchase cost and a low space utilization.
As a result, there arises a need for a multi-functional child care products capable of safely storing infants and child care products in a centralized space while providing a function of a humidifier or an air cleaner for the baby room as well.
With reference to Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 10-2004-71011, entitled “Showcase Refrigerator”, there is provided a product capable of serving as a water purifier, a sterilizer and a heating cabinet. Such a product serves multi-functions of devices mainly used for restaurant business places. However, since it is used for the business place, it is inappropriate for the infant products.
In addition, “Baby Bottle and Infant Utensils Ultraviolet Sterilizer” disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 10-2003-92985 discloses a product capable of sterilizing feeding bottles only among the infant products. However, such product is configured in a size allowing only a small quantity of feeding bottles to be sterilized and thus inappropriate to be regularly used for sterilizing various infant products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a multi-functional child care storage serving multi-functions of a refrigerating/heating compartment and a sterilization drier as well as a humidifier or an air cleaner, capable of safely keeping products for child care in a centralized space and also providing a function of a humidifier or an air cleaner for a place where a child mainly stays.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a multi-functional child care storage, including: a plurality of functional parts, wherein the plurality of the functional parts have: a refrigerating/heating compartment for keeping therein an infant product and/or a child care product at a proper temperature; a sterilizing/drying compartment for sterilizing, drying and keeping the infant product and/or the child care product hygienically; and a humidifying device for controlling an indoor humidity.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a multi-functional child care storage including: a plurality of functional parts partitioned by partition walls, wherein the functional parts have: a refrigerating/heating compartment for keeping therein an infant product and/or a child care product at a proper temperature; a sterilizing/drying compartment for sterilizing, drying and keeping the infant product and/or the child care product hygienically; and an air cleaning device for cleaning indoor air.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments, given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows an exemplary overall composition of a multi-functional child care storage in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 illustrates a fragmentary cutaway perspective view of an exemplary refrigerating/heating compartment of the multi-functional child care storage in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 describes a fragmentary sectional view of an exemplary sterilizing/drying compartment of the multi-functional child care storage in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 presents a top view of the multi-functional child care storage in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing an exemplary humidifying device;
FIG. 5 represents a sectional view of the exemplary humidifying device of the multi-functional child care storage in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 provides shows an exemplary overall composition of a multi-functional child care storage in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 7 offers a sectional view of an exemplary air cleaning room of the multi-functional child care storage in accordance with said another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an exemplary overall composition of a multi-functional child care storage in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 illustrates a fragmentary cutaway perspective view of an exemplary refrigerating/heating compartment of the multi-functional child care storage in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 describes a fragmentary sectional view of an exemplary sterilizing/drying compartment of the multi-functional child care storage in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 presents a top view of the multi-functional child care storage in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing an exemplary humidifying device; and FIG. 5 represents a sectional view of the exemplary humidifying device of the multi-functional child care storage in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the multi-functional child care storage includes functional parts 20, 30 and 40, i.e., a refrigerating/heating compartment 20 using a thermoelectric element, a sterilizing/drying compartment 30 using an ultraviolet lamp and a kit type humidifying device 40 capable of controlling an indoor humidity, wherein the functional parts 20, 30 and 40 are partitioned by partition walls 10 may have opening/closing doors 21, 31 and 41 on their front surfaces, respectively.
The functional parts 20, 30 and 40 can be properly partitioned by vertical and horizontal partitions, and outer sides of them can be designed in a way to help children's development in learning and sensibility.
Moreover, a control unit 50 including a panel for user's manipulation having a switch, a button and the like for controlling each of the functional parts 20, 30 and 40 may be installed on a specified portion of the front surface of the child care storage.
As shown in FIG. 2 in detail, various loading means 22 such as a grill type bracket, a plate type bracket, a box and/or the like are provided inside the refrigerating/heating compartment 20 and also on an inner surface of the opening/closing door 21, wherein the refrigerating/heating compartment 20 is capable of storing therein various infant and child care products at an appropriate temperature.
Preferably, a thermoelectric element 23 is used for refrigerating and heating function. Further, a heat absorbing and radiating plate 24 connected to the thermoelectric element 23 is provided on a wall surface.
In other words, the refrigerating and heating system using the thermoelectric element 23 generates less noise and can be made smaller. Moreover, since a coolant is not used, it is environmentally friendly. Thus, the system is suitable to be used indoors where children are taken care of. Further, the heat absorbing and radiating plate 24 absorbs or radiates heat depending on directions of currents flowing through the thermoelectric element 23.
Besides, the refrigerating/heating compartment 20 has a temperature sensor 25 for sensing an indoor temperature, so that the temperature can be controlled.
The refrigerating/heating compartment 20 can be configured such that it can simultaneously store various products, for example, breast milk (about 30° C.), infant medicines (about 12° C.), infant cosmetics (about 15° C.) or the like.
Accordingly, infant and childcare products needed to be stored for a long time can be kept without being spoiled and, further, infant foods that have to be warm for children to eat can be stored at a warm temperature, allowing children to eat them immediately.
Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 3, various loading means 32 can be provided inside the sterilizing/drying compartment 30 and also on an inner surface of the opening/closing door 31, wherein the various loading means 32 are capable of storing therein various infant and child care products by sterilizing and drying them.
A ultraviolet germicidal lamp 34 and a heat radiation device 35 are used for sterilizing and drying function, and the heat radiation device 35 may include a heater 35 b and a fan 35 c.
In other words, if firstly cleaned products are brought inside, they are sterilized by ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet germicidal lamp 34 and then dried by hot air discharged from a blast port 35 a.
At this time, ultraviolet rays harmful to humans may leak through the opening/closing door 31 of the sterilizing/drying compartment 30. To prevent the leakage of ultraviolet rays, the sterilizing/drying compartment 30 can be configured such that the irradiation of the ultraviolet rays is stopped while the opening/closing door 31 is open. Further, a water receptacle 33 may be installed at an inner lower portion of the sterilizing/drying compartment 30 so that water drops falling down from the stored products during the drying process can be collected to be discharged.
Otherwise, instead of installing the water receptacle 33, another configuration in which the water drops described above is transferred toward the thermoelectric element of the refrigerating/heating compartment 20 to be heated and then vaporized may also be used. In this case, there is no need for a regular maintenance of the water receptacle 33.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is shown the humidifying device 40 installed as a kit in the multi-functional child care storage of the present invention, for controlling an indoor humidity. To be specific, the humidifying device 40 has an opening/closing door 41 for opening an upper portion thereof; and a body 42 installed therein. Further, an oscillator 45 for making vapor from water is fixed at a spraying chamber 43 of the body 42, and a duct 49 of a blast fan 48 and a spray pipe 44 are installed at the spray chamber 43. Furthermore, a water container 47 to be opened/closed by a lid 47 a is mounted upside-down on a water tub 46.
The spraying pipe 44 installed in the spray chamber 43 is connected to a spraying nozzle 44 a installed on the opening/closing door 41 of the humidifying device 40.
After the water container 47 full of water is mounted upside-down on the water tub 46 of the body 42 with the lid 47 a facing downward, the water is made into vapor by the oscillator 45 and then discharged into the indoors through the spraying pipe 44 and the spraying nozzle 44 a by the wind generated from the blast fan 48.
In this way, the humidity of the baby room is controlled.
Further, it is possible to separate the body 42 d to be cleaned, thereby improving the hygienic condition.
Although the humidifying device 40 is an ultrasonic humidifying device using an oscillator, a heating humidifier for generating vapor by heating water to discharge the vapor outside may also be used.
As described above, the functional parts have various electrical devices. Therefore, there is provided a control unit 50 for a central control of the electrical devices. Since the control unit 50 includes the panel for the user's manipulation, various functions such as a timer function for minimizing a power consumption or the like can be efficiently provided.
In addition, the opening/ closing doors 21, 31 and 41 provided on the front surfaces of the functional parts can be locked for safety while the child care storage in accordance with the present invention is placed near children.
Further, by providing a lighting device 60, the child care storage in accordance with the present invention can be efficiently used, for example, when a baby wakes up at night.
Furthermore, moving wheels 70 can be provided on a bottom surface of the child care storage in accordance with the present invention so that the user can push and move the child care storage to desired places, wherein a length of a power cable thereof can be automatically lengthened or shortened depending on the movement.
Hereinafter, another preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. Detailed explanations of parts identical or similar to those described in the aforementioned preferred embodiment will be omitted, and the like reference numerals will be used therefor.
FIG. 6 shows an exemplary overall composition of a multi-functional child care storage in accordance with said another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The multi-functional child care storage in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention includes three functional parts 20, 30 and 140, i.e., a refrigerating/heating compartment 20 using a thermoelectric element 23, a sterilizing/drying compartment 30 using an ultraviolet lamp 34 and an air cleaning device 140 using functional filters, wherein the functional parts 20, 30 and 140 are partitioned by partition walls 10 and may selectively have opening/ closing doors 21, 31 and 141 on their front surfaces, respectively.
The functional parts 20, 30 and 40 can be properly partitioned by vertical and horizontal partitions, and outer sides of them can be designed in a way to help children's development in learning and sensibility.
Moreover, a control unit 50 including a panel for user's manipulation having a switch, a button and the like for controlling each of the functional parts 20, 30 and 140 may be installed on a specified portion of the front surface of the child care storage.
Referring to a sectional view of FIG. 7, there is illustrated the air cleaning device 140 for cleaning air in the indoor environment where the multi-functional child care storage of the present invention is installed. Specifically, the air cleaning device 140 has therein diverse functional filters 145, an air inlet 142 formed on one sidewall thereof, an air outlet 144 formed on the other sidewall thereof and a blast fan 143 for forming an air flow from the air inlet 142 to the air outlet 144.
Outside contaminated air is constantly sucked through the air inlet 142 by the operation of the blast fan 143. Then, the sucked air is cleaned after passing through the functional filters 145 sequentially and, as a result, fresh air is discharged to the outside through the air outlet 144.
Consequently, unpleasant odors of defecation and the like, germs, dust or the like in the air in the baby room can be reduced, making the environment thereabout more pleasant.
Herein, the filters 145 is configured to be detachable. Further, the operation of the air cleaning device is divided into those of a normal mode and a sleep mode so that the noise of the blast fan 143 can be comparatively reduced by setting the operation to be the sleep mode.
In the aforementioned description, the three functional parts 20, 30 and 140, i.e., the refrigerating/heating compartment 20, the sterilization drying 30 and the air cleaning device 140, are provided as a single unit partitioned by the partiltion walls 10. However, the air cleaning device 140 may also be configured to be detachable. In this case, the air cleaning device 140 can be removed when unnecessary.
As described above, the functional parts 20, 30 and 140 have respective electric devices. Therefore, a control device for a central control of the electric devices may be provided to work with the control unit 50, which can be configured to provide various functions such as a timer function for minimizing a power consumption or the like.
In addition, the opening/ closing doors 21, 31 and 141 provided on the front surfaces of the functional parts can be locked for safety while the child care storage in accordance with the present invention is placed near children.
In accordance with the aforementioned preferred embodiments of the present invention, unlike most household electric appliances for providing functions oriented to housewives and grown-ups, a customized storage for infants and caregivers can be provided, thereby enabling to achieve the maximized convenience with various functions. Further, the present invention will be a great contribution to an infant's welfare.
Besides, even after the baby grows up, the present invention can still be used as a storage of adult cosmetics, groceries, wines or the like with a function of a humidifier or an air cleaner.
As described above, the multi-functional child care storage in accordance with the present invention can keep therein infant and child care products hygienically in a centralized space at a proper temperature, thereby maximizing the convenience and the storage efficiency. Further, the multi-functional child care storage can be formed as a kit and thus can be installed in a small space, which enables an efficient space utilization. Moreover, it is possible to reduce nursing costs and to maintain indoor environments to make the nursing pleasant.
While the invention has been shown and described with respect to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modification may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A multi-functional child care storage, comprising:

a plurality of functional parts partitioned by partitions, wherein the plurality of the functional parts include:

a refrigerating/heating compartment for keeping therein an infant product and/or a child care product at a proper temperature; and

a sterilizing/drying compartment for sterilizing, drying and keeping the infant product and/or the child care product hygienically.

2. The multi-functional child care storage of claim 1, wherein the refrigerating/heating compartment includes:

a thermoelectric element;

a heat absorbing/radiating plate connected to the thermoelectric element, for selectively absorbing or radiating heat; and

a temperature sensor for detecting an indoor temperature.

3. The multi-functional child care storage of claim 1, wherein the sterilizing/drying compartment includes:

an ultraviolet germicidal lamp for irradiating ultraviolet rays into an inner space of the sterilizing/drying compartment; and

a heat radiation device for discharging hot air to dry the inner space of the sterilizing/drying compartment, wherein the heat radiation device has:

a blast port through which the hot air is discharged to the inner space of the sterilizing/drying compartment;

a heater for generating the hot air to be discharged; and

a fan for blasting the hot air.

4. The multi-functional child care storage of claim 3, wherein the sterilizing/drying compartment has a water receptacle at an inner lower portion thereof, wherein water drops falling from the stored products are collected in the water receptacle to be discharged.

5. The multi-functional child care storage of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the functional parts further include a humidifying device for controlling an indoor humidity.

6. The multi-functional child care storage of claim 5, wherein the humidifying device includes:

a body installed therein;

a water tub on which a water container is mounted, the water container having a lid facing downward, wherein the water tub is inside the body;

a spraying chamber for communicating with the water tub, wherein an oscillator for making water into vapor is installed in the spraying chamber;

a spraying pipe and a spraying nozzle installed at an upper portion of the spraying chamber to be connected with an opening/closing door of the humidifying device; and

a blast fan installed at a lower portion of the spraying chamber, for discharging the vapor to an outside.

7. The multi-functional child care storage of claim 5, wherein the humidifying device is detachably installed as a kit.

8. The multi-functional child care storage of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the functional parts further include an air cleaning device for cleaning indoor air.

9. The multi-functional child care storage of claim 8, wherein the air cleaning device includes:

an air inlet formed at one sidewall of the air cleaning device, for introducing air containing contaminants;

multiple filters installed in the air cleaning device, through which the introduced air passes to remove contaminants from the introduced air;

an air outlet formed at the other sidewall of air cleaning device, for discharging cleaned air that has passed through the multiple filters; and

a blast fan for generating an air flow from the air inlet to the air outlet.

10. The multi-functional child care storage of claim 8, wherein the air cleaning device can be detached from the other functional parts.

11. The multi-functional child care storage of claim 1, wherein one or more of the functional parts have opening/closing doors in front of them.

12. The multi-functional child care storage of claim 11, wherein a plurality of loading means are provided in the refrigerating/heating compartment, in the sterilizing/drying compartment, and on inner surfaces of the opening/closing doors.

13. The multi-functional child care storage of claim 11, wherein the opening/closing doors can be locked.

14. The multi-functional child care storage of claim 1, further comprising:

a manipulation panel for controlling the functional parts, wherein the manipulation panel is installed on a front surface of the storage.

15. The multi-functional child care storage of claim 1, further comprising:

a lighting device for lighting at least at night, wherein the lighting device is installed on an outer surface of the storage.

16. The multi-functional child care storage of claim 1, further comprising:

moving wheels for enabling the storage to be moved easily, wherein the moving wheels are installed on a bottom surface thereof.