DRINKWARE AND PLATEWARE AND ACTIVE TEMPERATURE CONTROL MODULE FOR SAME

• US 20180168378A1
• Filed: 10/25/2017
• Published: 06/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ember Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ember Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Alexander, Clayton, Wakeham, Christopher Thomas, Leith, Daren John, Timperi, Mikko Juhani, Baumann, Frank Victor, Roknaldin, Farzam
• Granted Patent: US 10,182,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2288 with means for keeping liquid cool or hot
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 41/0044 comprising heat or cold storing elements or material, i.e. energy transfer within the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/04 reversible
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0244 Heating of fluids H05B1/0247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/021 Heaters specially adapted for heating liquids

Abstract

An active temperature control module can be used with drinkware and plateware devices. The drinkware can be a mug made of metal, and optionally coated with a ceramic material. The active thermal control module can optionally be removably coupleable to a surface of the drinkware or plateware device. The module can include at least one heating element that can thermally communicate with a surface of the drinkware or plateware device to thereby effect heat transfer through the base to food stuff (e.g., a solid food, a liquid food) in the drinkware or plateware device. The module can include at least one sensor configured to sense a parameter of the foodstuff, and at least one power storage element configured to provide power to the at least one heating element. The module can include control circuitry configured to control operation of the one or more heating elements, and a transceiver configured to transmit operating information of the module to a remote electronic device and to receive operating instructions from the remote electronic device. Optionally, the module can include a heat transfer pack that can thermally communicate with the at least one heating element, and which can be interposed between the at least one heating element and a surface of the drinkware or plateware device.

Claims

1. An actively heated beverage container system, comprising:

a container made of metal and having a body with an open top end, a circumferential wall and a base at a bottom end, the body having a chamber defined by the circumferential wall and base of the body; and

a temperature control module comprising

at least one heating element in thermal communication with one or both of the base and a side surface of the body to heat at least a portion of the chamber,

control circuitry configured to control operation of the one or more heating elements,

at least one power storage element configured to provide power to one or both of the control circuitry and the at least one heating element, and

one or both of a wireless transmitter configured to transmit information of the module to a remote electronic device and a wireless receiver configured to receive information from the remote electronic device.