Heated or cooled dishware and drinkware

• US 9,035,222 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2014
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ember Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Oromo Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Alexander, Clayton
• Primary Examiner(s): PELHAM, JOSEPH MOORE
• Application Number:
  US14/312,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20140305927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 219/432
• 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 36/321 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 41/0044 comprising heat or cold storing elements or material, i.e. energy transfer within the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 41/0094 Indicating means, e.g. for level or temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/02 using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/04 reversible
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 29/00 Combined heating and refrigeration systems, e.g. operating alternately or simultaneously
• 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: G05D 23/121 : characterised by the sensing element
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 : characterised by the type of controller

Abstract

An actively heated mug, travel mug, baby bottle, water bottle or liquid container is provided. The mug, travel mug, baby bottle, water bottle or liquid container can include a body that receives a liquid therein and a heating or cooling system at least partially disposed in the body. The heating or cooling system can include one or more heating or cooling elements that heat a surface of the receiving portion of the body and one or more energy storage devices. The mug, travel mug, baby bottle, water bottle or liquid container can include a wireless power receiver that wirelessly receives power from a power source and control circuitry configured to charge one or more power storage elements and to control the delivery of electricity from the one or more power storage elements to the one or more heating or cooling elements. The mug, travel mug, baby bottle, water bottle or liquid container also can have one or more sensors that sense a parameter of the liquid or sense a parameter of the heating or cooling system and communicates the sensed information to the control circuitry. The control circuitry can turn on, turn off, and/or operate the heating or cooling element to actively heat or cool at least a portion of the body to maintain the liquid in a heated or cooled state generally at a user selected temperature setting based at least in part on the sensed parameter information. The mug, travel mug, baby bottle, water bottle or liquid container can also be paired with a remote device or mobile electronic device to send or receive communications or commands.

Claims

1. An actively heated or cooled cup, mug, travel mug, baby bottle, beer mug, carafe, or liquid container, comprising:

a portable body having a receiving portion for receiving and holding a liquid; and

a heating and cooling system housed in the portable body, comprising

two or more heating or cooling elements operable independently of each other and configured to actively heat or cool at least a portion of a sidewall of the receiving portion of the body such that when liquid poured into the portable body has a temperature greater than a predetermined temperature at least one of the two or more heating or cooling elements operates to remove heat from the liquid to lower the temperature of the liquid to approximately the predetermined temperature, and thereafter at least one of the two or more heating or cooling elements operates to generally maintain the liquid temperature at approximately the predetermined temperature,

one or more temperature sensors configured to sense a temperature of the liquid in the receiving portion,

one or more power storage elements, and

control circuitry configured to communicate with the one or more temperature sensors and to control the operation of at least one of the two or more heating or cooling elements based at least in part on the sensed temperature; and

a wireless transmitter or transceiver configured to establish a communication connection with a remote mobile phone or tablet computer,

wherein the transmitter or transceiver is configured to transmit the sensed temperature or information related to the sensed temperature to the mobile phone or tablet computer to display said sensed temperature or information related to the sensed temperature on the mobile phone or tablet computer.

2. An actively heated or cooled cup, mug, travel mug, baby bottle, beer mug, carafe, or liquid container, comprising:

a portable body having a receiving portion for receiving and holding a liquid; and

a heating and cooling system housed in the portable body, comprising

two or more heating or cooling elements operable independently of each other and configured to actively heat or cool at least a portion of a sidewall of the receiving portion of the body such that when liquid poured into the portable body has a temperature greater than a predetermined temperature at least one of the two or more heating or cooling elements operates to remove heat from the liquid to lower the temperature of the liquid to approximately the predetermined temperature, and thereafter at least one of the two or more heating or cooling elements operates to generally maintain the liquid temperature at approximately the predetermined temperature,

one or more temperature sensors configured to sense a temperature of the liquid in the receiving portion,

one or more power storage elements, and

control circuitry configured to communicate with the one or more temperature sensors and to control the operation of at least one of the two or more heating or cooling elements based at least in part on the sensed temperature.

5. The actively heated or cooled cup, mug, travel mug, baby bottle, beer mug, carafe, or liquid container of claim 2, further comprising:

a wireless transmitter or transceiver configured to establish a communication connection with a remote mobile phone or tablet computer; and

a display screen or indicator lights on a surface of the body, the display screen or indicator lights being electrically connected to the control circuitry and configured to display the sensed temperature or display a message and/or visual indication related to the sensed temperature,

wherein the transmitter or transceiver is configured to transmit the sensed temperature to the mobile phone or tablet computer to display said sensed temperature or a message and/or notification related to the sensed temperature on the mobile phone or tablet computer.

6. The actively heated or cooled cup, mug, travel mug, baby bottle, beer mug, carafe, or liquid container of claim 2, wherein at least one of the two or more heating or cooling elements comprises a phase change material.

3. An actively heated or cooled cup, mug, travel mug, baby bottle, beer mug, carafe, or liquid container, comprising:

a portable body having a receiving portion for receiving and holding a liquid; and

a heating and cooling system housed in the portable body, comprising

two or more heating or cooling elements operable independently of each other and configured to actively heat or cool at least a portion of a sidewall of the receiving portion of the body,

one or more temperature sensors configured to sense a temperature of the liquid in the receiving portion, and

control circuitry configured to communicate with the one or more temperature sensors and to control the operation of at least one of the two or more heating or cooling elements based at least in part on the sensed temperature; and

a wireless receiver or transceiver configured to establish a communication connection with a remote mobile phone or tablet computer,

wherein the receiver or transceiver is configured to receive operating instructions from the remote mobile phone or tablet computer, the control circuitry configured to control the operation of at least one of the two or more heating or cooling elements at least in part based on said received operating instructions from the mobile phone or tablet computer.

7. The actively heated or cooled cup, mug, travel mug, baby bottle, beer mug, carafe, or liquid container of claim 3, further comprising one or more power storage elements configured to supply power to the control circuitry.

4. An actively heated or cooled cup, mug, travel mug, baby bottle, beer mug, carafe, or liquid container, comprising:

a portable body having a receiving portion for receiving and holding a liquid; and

a heating and cooling system housed in the portable body, comprising

two or more heating or cooling elements operable independently of each other and configured to actively heat or cool at least a portion of a sidewall of the receiving portion of the body such that when liquid poured into the portable body has a temperature greater than a predetermined temperature at least one of the two or more heating or cooling elements operates to remove heat from the liquid to lower the temperature of the liquid to approximately the predetermined temperature, and thereafter at least one of the two or more heating or cooling elements operates to generally maintain the liquid temperature at approximately the predetermined temperature, at least one of the

two or more heating or cooling elements comprising a phase change material,

one or more power storage elements; and

control circuitry configured to control the operation of at least one of the two or more heating or cooling elements.

8. The actively heated or cooled cup, mug, travel mug, baby bottle, beer mug, carafe, or liquid container of claim 4, further comprising:

a wireless transmitter or transceiver is configured to transmit information to a mobile phone or tablet computer to display said information on the mobile phone or tablet computer.

9. The actively heated or cooled cup, mug, travel mug, baby bottle, beer mug, carafe, or liquid container of claim 8, wherein said information is sensed temperature of a liquid in the portable body.