Portable food heater

• US 7,804,045 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2007
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ambrell Corporation (inTEST Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ameritherm, Inc. (inTEST Corporation)
• Inventors: Rosenbloom, Richard H., McKean, Santina, Flanigan, William, Teachout, Brian Louis, Thompson, Leslie L., Paull, Ian Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): FUQUA, SHAWNTINA T
• Application Number:
  US11/846,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20080047948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 219/385, 219/386, 219/387, 219/202, 219/404, 219/407, 219/525
• US Class Current: 219/386
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/2483 with electrical heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/26 Devices for warming vessels containing drinks or food, especially by means of burners Warming devices with a burner, e.g. using gasoline; Travelling cookers, e.g. using petroleum or gasoline with one burner

Abstract

In one aspect, the present invention provides a consumer appliance that uses RF energy to heat foods stored in a container that is suitable for RF heating.

Claims

1. A portable food heater, comprising:

a generally cylindrical housing having an opening formed in a top portion of the housing for receiving food;

a radio-frequency (RF) heating element housed in the housing and at least partially surrounding the opening;

a generally cylindrical base member connected to or integral with a bottom portion of said housing, said base member being configured to fit into a conventional automobile cup holder;

an RF power circuit configured to provide RF power to the RF heating element, said RF power circuit being housed in said housing and/or said base member; and

a power plug electrically coupled to the RF power circuit, said power plug being configured to mate with an automotive power socket, wherein

the RF power circuit comprises;

an oscillator;

an RF power generator coupled to the oscillator; and

a controller configured to control the oscillator.

2. The portable food heater of claim 1, wherein the RF heating element is a coil.

3. The portable food heater of claim 1, further comprising a user interface for enabling a user of the portable food heater to select one of a heat option and a warm option.

4. The portable food heater of claim 1, wherein the automotive power socket is a cigarette lighter socket.

5. The portable food heater of claim 1, wherein the base member includes cooling vents.

6. The portable food heater of claim 1, wherein the RF power circuit further comprises a capacitor connected in parallel with the RF heating element and being connected between an output of the power generator and a power source.

7. The portable food heater of claim 1, wherein the oscillator is configured to generate an RF signal and the RF power generator is configured to amplify the RF signal.

8. The portable food heater of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to control the frequency of the RF signal generated by the oscillator.

9. An apparatus comprising a portable food heating according to claim 1 and further comprising an automobile having a battery and a power socket electrically coupled to the battery, wherein said power plug is mated with said power socket.

10. A food heating method, comprising:

obtaining a portable food heater, wherein the portable food heater comprises;

a generally cylindrical housing having an opening formed in a top portion of the housing for receiving food;

a radio-frequency (RF) heating element housed in the housing and at least partially surrounding the opening;

a generally cylindrical base member connected to or integral with a bottom portion of said housing;

an RF power circuit configured to provide RF power to the RF heating element, said RF power circuit being housed in said housing and/or said base member; and

a power plug electrically coupled to the RF power circuit;

placing the base member of the portable food heater into a cup holder of a car, the car having a power socket configured to receive a power plug;

plugging the power plug into the power socket;

placing food in the opening; and

after plugging in the power plug and after placing the food in the opening, activating the portable food heater such that the RF power circuit provides a sufficient amount of RF power to the RF heating element to cause the food to heat, wherein

the RF power circuit comprises;

an oscillator;

an RF power generator coupled to the oscillator; and

a controller configured to control the oscillator.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the RF heating element is a coil.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the portable food heater further comprises a user interface for enabling a user of the portable food heater to select one of a heat option and a warm option.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the automotive power socket is a cigarette lighter socket.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the base member includes cooling vents.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the RF power circuit further comprises a capacitor connected in parallel with the RF heating element and being connected between an output of the power generator and a power source.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the oscillator is configured to generate an RF signal and the RF power generator is configured to amplify the RF signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to control the frequency of the RF signal generated by the oscillator.