Food safety thermometer

• US 20040170213A1
• Filed: 02/27/2003
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shake Awake Products, LLC
• Original Assignee: FOB Instruments Limited (F.O.B. Instruments)
• Inventors: Rund, Richard, Charlety, Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 6,854,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/170
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 15/00 Testing or calibrating of thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2207/06 for preparation purposes

Abstract

A food safety thermometer is provided that is easily calibratable. The thermometer includes a digital display for displaying the temperature of food items under measurement. A calibration unit is coupled to the digital display. The calibration unit generates a calibration alert when the measured temperature is maintained within a calibration range for a predetermined period of time (the calibration period). If the user elects to calibrate the thermometer during the calibration period, the may activate the calibration unit and the calibration unit drives the measured temperature to the calibration temperature.

Claims

1. A calibratable food safety thermometer comprising:

a probe including a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end including a temperature sensing device;

a digital display in communication with said temperature sensing device that displays the temperature of the food item; and

a calibration unit in communication with said digital display that provides a calibration alert when the temperature is between a first and second temperature for a predetermined period of time and that drives the digital display to a calibration temperature responsive to an activation signal.

2. The calibratable food safety thermometer of claim 1 wherein said calibration unit drives the digital display to a calibration temperature when the activation signal is received during a calibration period.

3. The calibratable food safety thermometer of claim 2 wherein the calibration period has a duration of at least 3 seconds.

4. The calibratable food safety thermometer of claim 3 wherein the calibration alert has a duration of between 4 and 8 seconds.

5. The calibratable food safety thermometer of claim 1 wherein said calibration unit includes a user selectable calibration temperature.

6. The calibratable food safety thermometer of claim 1 wherein the calibration alert includes a flashing message on the digital display.

7. The calibratable food safety thermometer of claim 1 wherein the calibration alert includes an alarm.

8. The calibratable food safety thermometer of claim 1 wherein the calibration alert includes a voice message.

9. The calibratable food safety thermometer of claim 1 wherein the calibration unit includes a calibration temperature and the calibration unit calculates a calibration factor responsive to the activation signal.

10. The calibratable food safety thermometer of claim 9 wherein said calibration unit adds the calibration factor to temperatures measured by the temperature-sensing device.

11. A method of calibrating a food safety thermometer comprising:

measuring the temperature of a calibration source;

generating a calibration alert when the temperature of the calibration source is maintained between first and second temperatures for a calibration period;

changing the temperature displayed by the thermometer to the calibration temperature responsive to a user input.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein generating a calibration alert includes causing a message to flash on a thermometer display.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein generating a calibration alert includes generating a voice message indicating that the thermometer is ready for calibration.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the calibration period is at least 3 seconds.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the calibration period is between 4 and 8 seconds.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the calibration temperature is greater than the first temperature and less than the second temperature.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the calibration temperature is about 32°

F.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the calibration temperature is about 212°

F.

19. A calibratable food safety thermometer comprising:

a probe including a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end including a temperature sensing device;

a digital display in communication with said temperature sensing device that displays the temperature of the food item;

a safe state alert indicator that provides a safe state alert when the temperature sensing device indicates that the food item has reached a safe state temperature and maintained the safe state temperature for a predetermined period of time; and

a calibration unit in communication with said digital display that provides a calibration alert when the temperature is within a calibration temperature range for a predetermined period of time and that drives the digital display to a calibration temperature responsive to an activation signal.

20. The calibratable food safety thermometer of claim 19 wherein the predetermined period of time for which the safe state is maintained is the safe state hold time and wherein the safe state hold time corresponds to the food item.