Heatable container assembly

• US 6,310,329 B1
• Filed: 09/08/2000
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tina H. Carter
• Original Assignee: Tina H. Carter
• Inventors: Carter, Tina H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAHBOUR, HENRY
• Application Number:
  US09/658,409
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 219/428, 219/432, 219/430, 219/433, 219/434, 219/436, 219/439, 219/441, 219/442, 219/530, 219/540, 126/390.1
• US Class Current: 219/432
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/2288 with means for keeping liquid cool or hot
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2200/18 Time
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/2461 with electrical heating means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0269 For heating of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/68 Heating arrangements specially adapted for cooking plates or analogous hot-plates

Abstract

A heatable container assembly for heating liquids placed in the container. The heatable container assembly includes a base unit with a heating coil, a container positionable on the base unit, and a heatable gel positioned within a bottom chamber of the container.

Claims

1. A heatable container assembly comprising:

a base unit having a heating coil;

a container positionable on said base unit whereby said heating coil transmits heat to said container;

said container including a bottom chamber, said bottom chamber being filled with heatable gel for promoting even heating of said container and facilitating retention of heat transmitted from said heating coil;

a battery positioned in said base unit, said battery being electronically coupled to said heating coil for providing electrical current to said heating coil whereby said heating coil is heated;

said base unit including an on/off switch electronically coupled between said battery and said heating coil such that said electronic coupling between said battery and said heating coil is interrupted when said on/off switch is in an off position whereby said battery is prevented from heating said heating coil, said on/off switch further being electronically coupled between said battery and said heating coil such that said electronic coupling between said battery and said heating coil is uninterrupted when said on/off switch is in an on position whereby said battery provides electronic current to said heating coil;

a temperature sensor extending into said bottom chamber such that said temperature sensor is in environmental communication With, said gel for measuring a temperature of said gel;

a temperature control unit positioned in said base unit, said temperature control unit being electronically coupled between said battery and said heating coil;

said base unit including an electrical contact positioned for contacting said temperature sensor when said container is positioned on said base unit, said electrical contact being electronically coupled to said temperature control unit such that said temperature control unit opens a temperature control switch to prevent electrical current between said battery and said heating coil when said temperature sensor detects a gel temperature in excess of a pre-determined upper Threshold value.

2. The heatable container assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

said temperature control unit further closes said temperature control switch when said temperature sensor detects a gel temperature below a pre-determined lower threshold value whereby said gel temperature is maintained between said pre-determined lower threshold value and said pre-determined upper threshold value when said on/off switch is in said on position and said container is positioned on said base unit.

3. The heatable container assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

said base unit having a generally disk shaped upper portion, said upper portion having an outwardly threaded outer perimeter face;

said container having a generally circular bottom lip, said bottom lip being inwardly threaded for selectively engaging said outer perimeter face of said base unit whereby said container is threadedly securable to said base unit.

4. The heatable container assembly of claim 3, further comprising:

said base unit including a generally disk-shaped lower portion;

said container being generally cylindrical such that an outer surface of said container has a diameter equal to a diameter of an outer perimeter surface of said lower portion.

5. The heatable container assembly of claim 4, further comprising:

a height of said bottom lip of said container being substantially equal to a height of said upper portion of said base unit whereby said outer surface of said container is positioned flush with said outer perimeter surface of said lower portion of said base unit and an upper surface of said upper portion contacts a lower surface of said container when said container is secured to said base unit.

6. The heatable container assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

said electrical contact being annular and extending proximate an outer edge of said base unit.

7. A heatable container assembly comprising:

a base unit having a heating coil;

a container positionable on said base unit whereby said heating coil transmits heat to said container;

said container including a bottom chamber, said bottom chamber being filled with heatable gel for promoting even heating of said container and facilitating retention of heat transmitted from said heating coil;

said base unit including a battery compartment;

a battery positioned in said battery compartment, said battery being electronically coupled to said heating coil for providing electrical current to said heating coil whereby said heating coil is heated;

said base unit including an on/off switch electronically coupled between said battery and said heating coil such that said electronic coupling between said battery and said heating coil is interrupted when said on/off switch is in an off position whereby said battery is prevented from heating said heating coil, said on/off switch further being electronically coupled between said battery and said heating coil such that said electronic coupling between said battery and said heating coil is uninterrupted when said on/off switch is in an on position whereby said battery provides electronic current to said heating coil;

a temperature sensor extending into said bottom chamber such that said temperature sensor is in environmental communication with said gel for measuring a temperature of said gel;

a temperature control unit positioned in said base unit, said temperature control unit being electronically coupled between said battery and said heating coil;

said base unit including an electrical contact positioned for contacting said temperature sensor when said container is positioned on said base unit, said electrical contact being electronically coupled to said temperature control unit such that said temperature control unit opens a temperature control switch to prevent electrical current between said battery and said heating coil when said temperature sensor detects a gel temperature in excess of a pre-determined upper threshold value;

said temperature control unit further closes said temperature control switch when said temperature sensor detects a gel temperature below a pre-determined lower threshold value whereby said gel temperature is maintained between said pre-determined lower threshold value and said pre-determined upper threshold value when said on/off switch is in said on position and said container is positioned on said base unit;

said base unit having a generally disk shaped upper portion, said upper portion having an outwardly threaded outer perimeter face;

said container having a generally circular bottom lip, said bottom lip being inwardly threaded for selectively engaging said outer perimeter face of said base unit whereby said container is threadedly securable to said base unit;

said base unit including a generally disk-shaped lower portion;

said container being generally cylindrical such that an outer surface of said container has a diameter equal to a diameter of an outer perimeter surface of said lower portion;

a height of said bottom lip of said container being substantially equal to a height of said upper portion of said base unit whereby said outer surface of said Container is positioned flush with said outer perimeter surface of said lower portion of said base unit and an upper surface of said upper portion contacts a lower surface of said container when said container is secured to said base unit; and

said electrical contact being annular and extending proximate an outer edge of said base unit.