Spill-resistant beverage container with detection and notification indicator

• US 20060261233A1
• Filed: 02/17/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Don Patrick Williams, Mark T. Bowers
• Original Assignee: Don Patrick Williams, Mark T. Bowers
• Inventors: Bowers, Mark T., Williams, Don Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 7,417,417 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/311.200
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2227 with means for amusing or giving information to the user A47G23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2019/2238 with illumination means
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2019/2244 with sound emitting means
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2019/225 vessels with thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2200/18 Time
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 9/00 Feeding-bottles in general
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 9/02 with thermometers

Abstract

A spill-resistant beverage container having a liquid freshness detector and notification device is described. The spill-resistant beverage container is comprised of cup, a beverage temperature sensor, a processing electronic circuit and a display device. The temperature sensor and processing electrical circuit are mounted within an enclosure on the bottom of the cup and the display device emits light or sound when the beverage temperature does not have a desired value.

Claims

1. A beverage container with a freshness notification system comprising:

a sensor for sensing the temperature of a beverage within the container;

a processing electronic circuit coupled to the sensor and having a comparator for comparing the sensed temperature to reference temperatures; and

a display device that responds to the output of the comparator to provide notification of the freshness of the beverage

2. The beverage container of claim 1 wherein said display device is one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs).

3. The beverage container of claim 1 wherein said display device provides an audible sound.

4. The beverage container of claim 1 wherein the sensor is a thermistor.

5. The beverage container of claim 1 further having a spill-resistant lid

6. The beverage container of claim 1 further having a motion detector enabling the processing circuits to become inactive after a selected amount of time.

7. The beverage container of claim 1 wherein said processing electrical circuit enclosed in a sealed cavity within the body of said container.

8. The beverage container of claim 1 wherein said processing electrical circuit is disposed within a removable base.

20. The container of claim 1 wherein the sensor is coupled to the outside surface of bottom of the cup.

9. A method for determining the freshness of a beverage inside a beverage container, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring the temperature of the said beverage inside said container;

comparing said beverage temperature to one or more reference temperatures;

displaying the results of the comparing step as a notification of freshness of the beverage.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said displaying is the flashing of one or more LEDs.

11. The method of claim 9 further having the step determining the time a beverage has been in a container and providing notification when a desired time has been exceeded.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said displaying is providing an audible sound.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said beverage container is spill-resistant.

14. A beverage container with a liquid freshness notifier comprising:

a timing circuit;

a switch for activating said timing circuit; and

an indicator to indicate that a desired length of time has been exceeded.

15. The beverage container of claim 14 wherein the indicator emits sound.

16. The beverage container of claim 14 further having a means to prevent said timing circuit from being reactivated before said length of time has passed.

17. The beverage container of claim 14 wherein said indicator is one or more LEDs.

18. The beverage container of claim 14 further having a motion detector coupled to the timer wherein the circuits in the container go to a low power mode if no motion occurs for a selected amount of time.

19. A beverage container having a beverage freshness notification apparatus the beverage container comprising:

a cup with an opening for filling or removing a beverage from the cavity of the cup, the cup further having sides and a bottom wherein the bottom and sides have an inside surfaces and an outside surfaces;

a thermal sensor coupled to the cup;

a comparator coupled to the thermal sensor for comparing the output of the sensor to desired temperature values; and

a display device that exhibits beverage temperature information in response to an output from the comparator.