HEATED OR COOLED DISHWARE AND DRINKWARE AND FOOD CONTAINERS

• US 20180360264A1
• Filed: 06/22/2018
• Published: 12/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ember Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ember Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Alexander, Clayton, Leith, Daren John, Timperi, Mikko Juhani, Wakeham, Christopher Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 10,743,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/02 Plates, dishes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/027 with means for keeping food cool or hot
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2288 with means for keeping liquid cool or hot
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 2202/00 Devices having temperature indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 27/21041 with heating elements arranged outside the water vessel A47J27/2105 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 27/2105 of the cordless type, i.e. whereby the water vessel can be plugged into an electrically-powered base element
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 27/21083 with variable operating parameters, e.g. temperature or boiling period
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4417 with heating means for pre-heating the empty beverage containers, e.g. cup-warmers
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4425 Supports for beverage containers when filled or while being filled supports allowing to adapt the beverage making apparatus to the size of the beverage container A47J31/4482
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/4457 Water-level indicators
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/2416 with a heat storage element or material
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/2466 with integral heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/2472 of the cordless type, i.e. whereby the cup can be plugged into an electrically-powered base element
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/2494 using heat storage elements or materials, e.g. lava stones
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/32 Time-controlled igniting mechanisms or alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/321 the electronic control being performed over a network, e.g. by means of a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 39/025 for warming dishes without food before use
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 41/0005 comprising a single opening for filling and dispensing provided with a stopper
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 41/0044 comprising heat or cold storing elements or material, i.e. energy transfer within the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 41/005 comprising heat or cold producing means, i.e. energy transfer from outside the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 41/0094 : Indicating means, e.g. for level or temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/04 : reversible
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/07 : Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2303/0831 : the liquid is disposed in the space between the walls of the container
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/808 : Glasses
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/36 : Visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/16 : Sensors measuring the temperature of products
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 3/08 : portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally

Abstract

An actively heated or cooled food container can have a lid movable between an open and a closed position and an insulated body to which the lid can be attached. The insulated body can have a sidewall that defines a perimeter of the container body and a base, the sidewall and base defining one or more chambers that can be sealed by the lid. The food container can have a temperature control system that can include one or more heating or cooling elements in thermal communication with one or both of the sidewall and the base and operable to heat or cool one or both of the sidewall and the base to thereby heat or cool the one or more chambers in the food container.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A portable cooler container with active temperature control, comprising:

a removable lid;

a container body having a chamber configured to receive and hold one or more containers of perishable liquid, the chamber defined by a base and an inner peripheral wall of the container body and configured to be selectively closed by the removable lid; and

a temperature control system, comprising

one or more thermoelectric modules configured to actively heat or cool at least a portion of the chamber to heat or cool the one or more containers of perishable liquid,

one or more batteries, and

circuitry configured to control an operation of the one or more thermoelectric modules to heat or cool at least a portion of the chamber to a predetermined temperature or temperature range, the circuitry further configured to wirelessly communicate with a cloud-based data storage system or a remote electronic device.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the temperature control system is disposed in the container body.

4. The container of claim 2, wherein the body comprises an outer peripheral wall and a bottom portion attached to the outer peripheral wall, the inner peripheral wall being spaced inward relative to the outer peripheral wall to define a gap between the inner peripheral wall and the outer peripheral wall, the base spaced apart from the bottom portion to define a cavity between the base and the bottom portion, at least a portion of the temperature control system being disposed in the cavity.

5. The container of claim 2, further comprising one or more sensors configured to sense the one or more parameters of the chamber or temperature control system and to communicate the sensed information to the circuitry.

6. The container of claim 5, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature in the chamber and to communicate the sensed temperature to the circuitry, the circuitry configured to communicate the sensed temperature data to the cloud-based data storage system or remote electronic device.

7. The container of claim 5, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is configured to detect when the one or more containers of perishable liquid are placed in the chamber and to communicate a detection signal to the circuitry, the circuitry configured to automatically turn on power to the temperature control system based on said detection signal.

8. The container of claim 2, wherein the container body is cylindrical.

9. The container of claim 2, further comprising a user interface on a surface of the body.

10. A portable cooler container with active temperature control, comprising:

a removable lid;

a body comprising

an inner peripheral wall that extends between an opening and a base, the inner peripheral wall and the base together defining a chamber configured to receive and hold one or more containers of perishable liquid, the chamber configured to be selectively closed by the removable lid,

an outer peripheral wall spaced apart from the inner peripheral wall to define a gap between the inner peripheral wall and the outer peripheral wall, and

a bottom portion attached to the outer peripheral wall, the bottom portion spaced below the base to define a cavity between the base and the bottom portion; and

a temperature control system at least a portion of which is disposed in the cavity between the base and the bottom portion, comprising

one or more Peltier elements configured to actively heat or cool at least a portion of the chamber,

one or more batteries,

one or more sensors configured to sense one or more parameters of the chamber or temperature control system, at least one of the one or more sensors including a temperature sensor, and

circuitry configured to control an operation of the one or more thermoelectric elements to heat or cool at least a portion of the chamber to a predetermined temperature setting or temperature range setting, the circuitry further configured to wirelessly communicate data sensed by at least one of the one or more sensors with a cloud-based data storage system or mobile electronic device.

11. The container of claim 10, where the gap is an air gap.

12. The container of claim 10, wherein the gap is under vacuum.

13. The container of claim 10, wherein the circuitry is configured to communicate the sensed temperature data to the cloud-based data storage system or remote electronic device.

14. The container of claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is configured to detect when the one or more containers of perishable liquid are placed in the chamber and to communicate a detection signal to the circuitry, the circuitry configured to automatically turn on power to the temperature control system based on said detection signal.

15. The container of claim 10, further comprising a user interface configured to display information indicative of said one or more parameters.

16. The container of claim 10, wherein the body is cylindrical

17. A portable container with active temperature control, comprising:

a removable lid;

a body comprising a peripheral wall that extends between an opening and a base, the inner peripheral wall and the base together defining a chamber configured to receive and hold one or more volumes of perishable liquid, the chamber configured to be selectively closed by the removable lid; and

a temperature control module at least a portion of which is insertable into the chamber, the module comprising

an elongate portion insertable into the chamber such that the elongate portion is suspended in the chamber, the elongate portion having an outer surface configured to contact the liquid in the chamber about the circumference of the elongate portion, the elongate portion housing therein one or more heating or cooling elements configured to facilitate heat transfer between at least a portion of the elongate portion and the liquid in the chamber, and

a rim attached to a proximal end of the elongate portion, the rim configured to rest on a rim of the body and be retained on the body by the lid, one or more passages defined between the rim and the elongate portion configured to allow flow of liquid to pass therethrough, allowing the temperature control module to remain in place on the container while the liquid in the container is consumed.

18. The container of claim 17, wherein the temperature control module has one or more electrical contacts configured to contact corresponding electrical contacts on a charging assembly when the temperature control module is removed from the chamber and coupled to the charging base.

19. The container of claim 17, wherein the temperature control module comprises one or more sensors along at least a portion of the elongate portion.

20. The container of claim 17, wherein the temperature control module comprises circuitry configured to control the operation of the one or more heating or cooling elements to heat or cool the liquid in the chamber.

21. The container of claim 17, wherein the one or more heating or cooling elements are activated via a user input via a user interface of the temperature control module.