Heated or cooled dishware and drinkware

• US 9,974,401 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2017
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ember Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ember Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Alexander, Clayton
• Primary Examiner(s): PASCHALL, MARK H
• Application Number:
  US15/676,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20170340146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 219490, 219494, 219497, 219496, 219441, 219438, 219439, 219442
• 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 21/04 reversible
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/24 Storage receiver heat
• 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

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 beverage container, comprising:

a body comprising

an inner circumferential wall that extends between an open end and a base, the inner circumferential wall and the base together defining a chamber configured to receive and hold a beverage,

an outer circumferential wall spaced apart from the inner circumferential wall to define a gap between the inner circumferential wall and the outer circumferential wall, and

a bottom portion attached to the outer circumferential wall, the bottom portion spaced below the base to define a cavity between the base and the bottom portion; and

a temperature control system at least a portion of which is disposed in the cavity between the base and the bottom portion, comprising

one or more heating or cooling elements configured to actively heat or cool at least a portion of the chamber,

one or more power storage elements, and

circuitry configured to control an operation of the one or more heating or cooling elements to heat or cool the liquid in the chamber to a predetermined temperature setting or user selected temperature setting, the circuitry further configured to wirelessly communicate with a mobile electronic device, the circuitry being operable to transmit information to the mobile electronic device as well as to receive instructions from the mobile electronic device selectively paired with the beverage container that include the user selected temperature setting selected from one of a plurality of temperature settings.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein a proximal end of the inner wall is attached to a proximal end of the outer wall to define a rim of the beverage container, the inner circumferential wall and base suspended relative to the outer circumferential wall.

3. The container of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors that are configured to sense a liquid level in the chamber, the one or more sensors disposed at various vertical locations of the inner circumferential wall that are configured to communicate the sensed liquid level information to the circuitry, the circuitry configured to operate the one or more heating or cooling elements based at least in part on the sensed level information.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is configured to detect when a liquid is poured into the chamber and to communicate a detection signal to the circuitry, the circuitry configured to one or both of automatically turn on power to the heating or cooling elements based on said liquid detection and automatically turn off power to the heating or cooling elements upon detection with said one or more sensors that the liquid in the chamber has dropped below a predetermined liquid level or been depleted completely, at least one of the one or more sensors configured to sense a change in temperature in the chamber.

5. The container of claim 1, further comprising one or more indicator lights configured to communicate with the circuitry, the one or more indicator lights configured to illuminate while the one or more heating or cooling elements is operating to indicate to the user the operation of the temperature control system, the one or more indicator lights comprising a hidden till lit LED.

6. The container of claim 1, wherein the one or more heating or cooling elements is one or more resistive heaters in thermal communication with one or both of the base and the inner circumferential wall.

7. The container of claim 1, further comprising one or more electrical contact rings on a bottom surface of the bottom portion.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein the circuitry comprises a wireless power receiver configured to receive power via inductive coupling.

9. An actively heated or cooled cup or mug container, comprising:

a body having a circumferential wall extending between an opening at a proximal end and a base, the circumferential wall and the base together defining a chamber configured to receive and hold a beverage, the circumferential wall extending distally of the base to a bottom portion to define a cavity between the base and the bottom portion that is bounded by the circumferential wall; and

a temperature control system disposed in the cavity between the base and the bottom portion, comprising

one or more heating or cooling elements configured to actively heat or cool at least a portion of the chamber,

one or more power storage elements, and

circuitry configured to control an operation of the one or more heating or cooling elements to heat or cool the liquid in the chamber to a predetermined temperature or user selected temperature setting, the circuitry further configured to wirelessly communicate with a mobile electronic device, the circuitry being operable to transmit information to the mobile electronic device as well as to receive instructions from the mobile electronic device that include the user selected temperature setting selected from one of a plurality of temperature settings.

10. The container of claim 9, wherein the circumferential wall comprises an outer circumferential wall and an inner circumferential, the chamber defined by the inner circumferential wall and the base, the cavity bounded by the outer circumferential wall between the base and the bottom portion.

11. The container of claim 9, further comprising one or more sensors that are configured to sense a liquid level in the chamber, the one or more sensors disposed at various vertical locations of the circumferential wall that are configured to communicate the sensed liquid level information to the circuitry, the circuitry configured to operate the one or more heating or cooling elements based at least in part on the sensed level information.

12. The container of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is configured to detect when a liquid is poured in to the chamber and to communicate a detection signal to the circuitry, the circuitry configured to one or both of automatically turn on power to the heating or cooling elements based on said liquid detection and automatically turn off power to the heating or cooling elements upon detection with said one or more sensors that the liquid in the chamber has dropped below a predetermined liquid level or been depleted completely, at least one of the one or more sensors configured to sense a change in temperature in the chamber.

13. The container of claim 9, further comprising one or more indicator lights configured to communicate with the circuitry, the one or more indicator lights configured to illuminate while the one or more heating or cooling elements is operating to indicate to the user the operation of the temperature control system, the one or more indicator lights comprising a hidden till lit LED.

14. The container of claim 9, wherein the one or more heating elements is one or more resistive heaters in thermal communication with one or both of the base and the inner circumferential wall.

15. The container of claim 9, further comprising one or more electrical contact rings on a bottom surface of the bottom portion.

16. The container of claim 9, wherein the circuitry comprises a wireless power receiver configured to receive power via inductive coupling.

17. The container of claim 9, wherein a user interface on the body is configured to alert the user when the beverage in the chamber is above a predetermined temperature and too hot to consume.

19. The container of claim 17, wherein an alert signal is a visual alert signal.

18. An actively heated or cooled cup or mug container, comprising:

a body having a circumferential wall extending between an opening at a proximal end and a base, the circumferential wall and the base together defining a chamber configured to receive and hold a beverage, the circumferential wall extending distally of the base to a bottom portion to define a cavity between the base and the bottom portion that is bounded by the circumferential wall; and

a temperature control system disposed in the cavity between the base and the bottom portion, comprising

one or more heating or cooling elements configured to actively heat or cool at least a portion of the chamber,

one or more power storage elements,

one or more sensors configured to detect a presence of a liquid in the chamber, and

circuitry configured to control an operation of the one or more heating elements to heat the liquid in the chamber to a predetermined temperature or user selected temperature setting, the circuitry being operable to two or more of;

wirelessly communicate with a mobile electronic device to one or both of transmit information to the mobile electronic device and receive instructions from the mobile electronic device,

automatically turn on power to the heating or cooling elements based upon receiving a signal from the one or more sensors indicating a presence of the liquid in the chamber, and

automatically turning off power to the heating or cooling elements upon receiving a signal from the one or more sensors indicating that the liquid in the chamber has dropped below a predetermined liquid level or been depleted completely.

20. The container of claim 18, wherein the circumferential wall comprises an outer circumferential wall and an inner circumferential, the chamber defined by the inner circumferential wall and the base, the cavity bounded by the outer circumferential wall between the base and the bottom portion.

21. The container of claim 18, further comprising one or more indicator lights configured to communicate with the circuitry, the one or more indicator lights configured to illuminate while the one or more heating elements is operating to indicate to the user the operation of the temperature control system, the one or more indicator lights comprising a hidden till lit LED.

22. The container of claim 18, wherein the circuitry comprises a wireless power receiver configured to receive power via inductive coupling.

23. The container of claim 18, wherein the one or more sensors includes a temperature sensor.