Vehicle thermoelectric cooling and heating food and drink appliance
First Claim
1. In combination, a thermoelectric heating and cooling unit for use in a vehicle comprising one or more thermoelectric elements having top and bottom faces, a top conducting plate in thermal contact with the top faces of the said thermoelectric elements, said top and bottom faces being cold or hot when said current is applied depending on the direction of said current, and an insulating plate surrounding said top conducting plate to permit its flush exposure, an appliance having heat or cold transfer bottom, means for detachably mating said appliance so as to be rigidly positioned upon the insulating plate with its heat or cold transfer bottom held in flush thermal contact with said conductive plate of the unit and so that said appliance does not become disconnected due to vibration of said vehicle, whereby the continued supply of heat or cold to said appliance will be insured to heat or cool any substance contained therein, said mating means of said unit similarly enabling said unit to interchangeably mate with corresponding means of a plurality of different appliances so that said unit can be used interchangeably to supply heat or cold to a plurality of different appliances.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A novel portable thermoelectric cooling and heating food appliance adapted for use in a vehicle by travelers, hunters, and campers. A base unit is provided which can be connected to the cigarette lighter receptacle of the vehicle and with the use of thermoelectric Peltier elements offer through a selective cool or heat control circuit the cooling or heating required of any of several kinds of appliances that can be detachably attached to the base unit and adapted through cool and heat conducting transfer plates to cool or heat the appliance and the foods or liquids therein and upon removal of the appliance from the base unit the bottom of the appliance is closed by a slide cover to cover the bottom conducting plate of the appliance so the food or liquids will be kept in the cool or heat condition. Ice cubes can be made by drawing cold air from the air conditioner vent of the vehicle to be passed over the action elements of the base unit and at the same time provides means for further cooling ambient air about the appliance and in the vehicle. r
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Citations
8 Claims
- 1. In combination, a thermoelectric heating and cooling unit for use in a vehicle comprising one or more thermoelectric elements having top and bottom faces, a top conducting plate in thermal contact with the top faces of the said thermoelectric elements, said top and bottom faces being cold or hot when said current is applied depending on the direction of said current, and an insulating plate surrounding said top conducting plate to permit its flush exposure, an appliance having heat or cold transfer bottom, means for detachably mating said appliance so as to be rigidly positioned upon the insulating plate with its heat or cold transfer bottom held in flush thermal contact with said conductive plate of the unit and so that said appliance does not become disconnected due to vibration of said vehicle, whereby the continued supply of heat or cold to said appliance will be insured to heat or cool any substance contained therein, said mating means of said unit similarly enabling said unit to interchangeably mate with corresponding means of a plurality of different appliances so that said unit can be used interchangeably to supply heat or cold to a plurality of different appliances.
- 2. In combination an appliance for use in a vehicle, a thermoelectric heat or cold unit having a first mating means for receiving said appliance and including a thermally insulated upper body portion with a heat or cold conductive plate therein, said appliance having a bottom thermally conductive portion, means for detachably mating the appliance with the heat or cold unit in a rigid position so that the bottom surface of the appliance lies in thermal contact with the conductive plate of said unit despite vibration of said vehicle and to ensure the supply of heat or cold to said appliance, said appliance including a second mating means and a bottom cover attachable to the second mating means of the appliance to enclose the bottom conductive plate of the appliance.
- 3. In combination, a thermoelectric cool and heat base unit utilizing Peltier-type elements having cold and hot faces when supplied with direct current, and respective top and bottom faces of the elements being cold or hot depending upon the direction of flow of the direct current through the elements, a metal heat sink block in flush engagement with the bottom faces of the element and a top cold and heat conductive plate secured in flush engagement with the top faces of the elements, and a separable appliance having a bottom cold and heat conductive slab depending from the bottom of the appliance and adapted to be disposed in full flush engagement with the top conductive plate of the base unit upon the appliance being assembled upon the cool and heat base unit, said base unit having a top insulating plate overlying the cold and heat conductive plate with a central opening therein to provide a shallow pocket adapted to receive the depending cold and heat conductive slab of the appliance for a full flush engagement with the conductive plate of the base unit and means for detachably mating the separable appliance with the base unit and the retention of the conductive slab of the appliance with the conductive top plate within the shallow pocket of the base unit against lateral and upward displacement from the base unit whereby heat or cool transfer of the base unit will be maintained throughout the transport of the assembly and will be held against separating thereof due to vibration of the transport vehicle.
Specification