Thermal cup

• US 6,674,052 B1
• Filed: 03/24/2003
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chin-Kuang Luo
• Original Assignee: Chin-Kuang Luo
• Inventors: Luo, Chin-Kuang
• Primary Examiner(s): Paik, Sang Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAMPBELL, THOR S
• Application Number:
  US10/395,555
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 219/520-522, 219/530, 219/432, 219/430, 219/433, 219/443.1, 392/441, 392/444, 392/488, 62/32, 62/37, 62/33, 624/579, 624/573, 624/574
• US Class Current: 219/520
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 41/0077 made of two vessels inserted in each other
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/02 using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/808 Glasses

Abstract

A thermal cup includes a hollow inner cup body having an inner surrounding wall and an outer surrounding wall that confine an enclosed chamber therebetween, and an outer cup body made of a heat insulating material and disposed to surround the outer surrounding wall of the inner cup body. The inner surrounding wall further confines a space for containing liquid therein. The outer cup body cooperates with the outer surrounding wall of the inner cup body to confine a clearance therebetween. A thermal conductor unit is provided on the outer surrounding wall of the inner cup body, and is disposed in the clearance.

Claims

1. A thermal cup comprising:

a hollow inner cup body having an open mouth and a closed bottom, said inner cup body including an inner surrounding wall and an outer surrounding wall that confine an enclosed chamber therebetween, said inner surrounding wall further confining a space for containing liquid therein;

an outer cup body made of a heat insulating material, disposed to surround said outer surrounding wall of said inner cup body, and cooperating with said outer surrounding wall of said inner cup body to confine a clearance therebetween; and

a thermal conductor unit provided on said outer surrounding wall of said inner cup body and disposed in said clearance.

2. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 1, wherein said thermal conductor unit extends from said closed bottom toward said open mouth of said inner cup body.

3. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 1, wherein said thermal conductor unit includes at least one heat-conducting rod.

4. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 1, wherein said thermal conductor unit includes at least one heat-conducting pipe.

5. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 1, wherein said enclosed chamber is filled with a heat-conductive material.

6. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said inner and outer surrounding walls has a wall surface that confronts said enclosed chamber and that is coated with a heat-conductive lining.

7. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 1, wherein said enclosed chamber is a sealed vacuum chamber.

8. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 7, wherein said enclosed chamber is filled with a heat-conductive material.

9. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer cup body is formed with a handle.

10. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cap for closing removably said open mouth of said inner cup body.

11. A thermal cup comprising:

a hollow inner cup body made of a heat-conductive material and having an open mouth and a closed bottom, said inner cup body including an inner surrounding wall and an outer surrounding wall that confine an enclosed chamber therebetween, said inner surrounding wall further confining a space for containing liquid therein;

an outer cup body made of a heat insulating material, disposed to surround said outer surrounding wall of said inner cup body, and cooperating with said outer surrounding wall of said inner cup body to confine a clearance therebetween;

a thermal conductor unit provided on said outer surrounding wall of said inner cup body and disposed in said clearance;

said closed bottom of said inner cup body having a portion free of said thermal conductor unit;

said outer cup body having an opening registered with said portion of said closed bottom of said inner cup body;

an electrically operable thermal energy source disposed removably in said opening and in thermal contact with said portion of said closed bottom of said inner cup body; and

a control unit connected to said thermal energy source for controlling activation of said thermal energy source.

12. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a heat sink connected to said thermal energy source.

13. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a fan disposed to induce air currents toward said heat sink.

14. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 11, wherein said thermal energy source includes a thermoelectric cooling unit.

15. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 14, wherein said control unit is operable so as to enable said thermoelectric cooling unit to operate in a selected one of a heat-absorbing mode, where said thermoelectric cooling unit absorbs heat from said portion of said closed bottom of said inner cup body, and a heat-radiating mode, where said thermoelectric cooling unit radiates heat to said portion of said closed bottom of said inner cup body.

16. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 14, wherein said thermoelectric cooling unit has an upper side to be disposed in thermal contact with said portion of said closed bottom of said inner cup body, and a lower side opposite to said upper side and having a heat sink disposed thereon.

17. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a fan disposed to induce air currents toward said heat sink.

18. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 11, wherein said thermal conductor unit includes at least one heat-conducting rod.

19. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 11, wherein said thermal conductor unit includes at least one heat-conducting pipe.

20. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 11, wherein said enclosed chamber is filled with a heat-conductive material.

21. The thermal cup as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of said inner and outer surrounding walls has a wall surface that confronts said enclosed chamber and that is coated with a heat-conductive lining.