Patent Application
20190032687
Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57.
The present invention is directed to a locking mechanism, and more particularly to a locking mechanism that utilizes a memory metal and is actuated based on temperature.
Various types of locking mechanisms are known, such as a key-slot mechanism or quick disconnect mechanism. However, such mechanisms usually require the user to manually actuate the mechanism to lock and unlock the components.
There is a need for an improved locking mechanism that operates based on temperature, and that can automatically lock and unlock depending on the temperature the locking mechanism is exposed to.
In accordance with one aspect, a locking mechanism assembly is provided that comprises a spring made of shape memory material that moves a locking member between a retracted position and a deployed position when the shape memory material is exposed to heat. The locking mechanism is optionally implemented in one or both of a drinkware or dishware device and a removable heating puck that can be coupled to a distal portion of the drinkware or dishware device, where the locking mechanism is actuatable to lock the heating puck to the beverage container. The drinkware device can optionally be one of a cup, mug, travel mug, carafe, liquid container, baby bottle, sippy cup, bowl, tureen or reusable water bottle. The dishware device can optionally be one of a plate, platter, serving dish, bread basket, or tortilla warmer.
In accordance with one aspect, a locking mechanism assembly is provided. The assembly comprises a locking member configured to move between a retracted position and a deployed position. The assembly also comprises a first spring coupled to a proximal portion of the locking member, the first spring configured to exert a force on the locking member in the proximal direction toward the retracted position. The assembly also comprises a second spring coupled to the locking member, the second spring configured to exert a force on the locking member in a distal direction toward the deployed position, opposite to the direction of force exerted by the first spring. One of the first and second springs comprises a shape memory material that moves to a pre-deformed state when exposed to heat, thereby increasing in tension such that the force it exerts on the locking member exceeds the force exerted on the locking member by the other of the first and second springs, causing the locking member to move to the retracted or deployed position.
In accordance with another aspect, a device is provided that comprises a first component and a second component detachably coupleable to the first component, the second component comprising a surface and one or more locking mechanism assemblies mounted on the surface. The one or more locking mechanism assemblies comprises a locking member configured to move between a retracted position and a deployed position, a first spring coupled to a proximal portion of the locking member, the first spring configured to exert a force on the locking member in a first direction toward one of the retracted and deployed positions, and a second spring coupled to the locking member, the second spring configured to exert a force on the locking member in a second direction opposite the first direction toward the other of the retracted and deployed positions, the second spring comprising a shape memory material, where the second spring moves to a pre-deformed state when exposed to heat, thereby increasing in tension such that the force exerted by the second spring on the locking member exceeds the force exerted on the locking member by the first spring, causing the locking member to move in the second direction, and wherein the second spring moves to a deformed state when cooled below a predetermined level, thereby decreasing in tension such that the force exerted by the first spring on the locking member exceeds the force exerted on the locking member by the second spring, causing the locking member to move in the first direction. The second component comprises one or more elements configured to generate one or more of heating and cooling of the surface to move the locking member to the deployed or retracted position to lock or unlock the second component to the first component.
In the illustrated embodiment, the locking member 10 can travel along an axis Y within a guide 20. As shown in
With continued reference to
The locking mechanism assembly 100 can also include a spring 40 that has a first end 42 fixed at a first attachment member 50 (e.g., pin, screw, clamp or crimped portion) and a second end 44 fixed at a second attachment member 52 (e.g., pin, screw, clamp or crimped portion). The spring 40 can extend through the aperture or opening 16 in the locking member 10 such that the spring 40 extends generally transversely to the length of the locking member 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the spring 40 has a leaf spring configuration. However, other configurations are possible. The spring 40 can be made of a shape-memory material (e.g., a shape memory alloy, such as Nitinol) that can be deformed, but return to its pre-deformed shape when heated.
In the illustrated embodiment, the locking mechanism assembly 100 can be attached or mounted on a component 60A, such as a generally planar surface. The proximal end 12A of the locking member 10 can be t-shaped. As shown in
The embodiments above describe the spring 40, 40A as being made of a shape memory material (e.g., a shape memory alloy, such as Nitinol) and the spring 30, 30A is made of a conventional material (i.e., non-shape memory material). In these embodiments, the locking member 10, 10A is generally biased in the retracted (unlocked) position by the spring 30, 30A, until the spring 40, 40A is exposed to heat, such that the spring 40, 40A exerts a force on the locking member 10, 10A toward the deployed (or locking) position. However, in another embodiment, the spring 30, 30A can be made of a shape memory material (such as Nitinol), and the spring 40, 40A can be made of a conventional material (e.g., a non-shape memory material). In such an embodiment, the locking member 10, 10A can be generally biased in the deployed position by the spring 40, 40A, until the spring 30, 30A is exposed to heat, such that the spring 30, 30A exerts a force on the locking member 10, 10A toward a retraced (or unlocked) position.
With continued reference to
While the device shown in
While certain embodiments of the inventions have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms. For example, though the features disclosed herein are in describe for drinkware containers, the features are applicable to containers that are not drinkware containers (e.g., bowls, serverware, food storage containers) and the invention is understood to extend to such other containers. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the systems and methods described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of the present inventions is defined only by reference to the appended claims.
Features, materials, characteristics, or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment, or example are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described in this section or elsewhere in this specification unless incompatible therewith. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. The protection is not restricted to the details of any foregoing embodiments. The protection extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.
Furthermore, certain features that are described in this disclosure in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations, one or more features from a claimed combination can, in some cases, be excised from the combination, and the combination may be claimed as a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.
Moreover, while operations may be depicted in the drawings or described in the specification in a particular order, such operations need not be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. Other operations that are not depicted or described can be incorporated in the example methods and processes. For example, one or more additional operations can be performed before, after, simultaneously, or between any of the described operations. Further, the operations may be rearranged or reordered in other implementations. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in some embodiments, the actual steps taken in the processes illustrated and/or disclosed may differ from those shown in the figures. Depending on the embodiment, certain of the steps described above may be removed, others may be added. Furthermore, the features and attributes of the specific embodiments disclosed above may be combined in different ways to form additional embodiments, all of which fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Also, the separation of various system components in the implementations described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all implementations, and it should be understood that the described components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single product or packaged into multiple products.
For purposes of this disclosure, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features are described herein. Not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves one advantage or a group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
Conditional language, such as “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements, and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements, and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.
Conjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, and Z,” unless specifically stated otherwise, is otherwise understood with the context as used in general to convey that an item, term, etc. may be either X, Y, or Z. Thus, such conjunctive language is not generally intended to imply that certain embodiments require the presence of at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z.
Language of degree used herein, such as the terms “approximately,” “about,” “generally,” and “substantially” as used herein represent a value, amount, or characteristic close to the stated value, amount, or characteristic that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms “approximately”, “about”, “generally,” and “substantially” may refer to an amount that is within less than 10% of, within less than 5% of, within less than 1% of, within less than 0.1% of, and within less than 0.01% of the stated amount. As another example, in certain embodiments, the terms “generally parallel” and “substantially parallel” refer to a value, amount, or characteristic that departs from exactly parallel by less than or equal to 15 degrees, 10 degrees, 5 degrees, 3 degrees, 1 degree, or 0.1 degree.
The scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited by the specific disclosures of preferred embodiments in this section or elsewhere in this specification, and may be defined by claims as presented in this section or elsewhere in this specification or as presented in the future. The language of the claims is to be interpreted broadly based on the language employed in the claims and not limited to the examples described in the present specification or during the prosecution of the application, which examples are to be construed as non-exclusive.
Though the features and ideas disclosed above may be related to actively heating or cooling food or beverage, the embodiments above may also be used to heat or cool air spaces, such as refrigeration devices, cold boxes, coolers, portable coolers, or portable refrigerators, or hot boxes, or warmer drawers, or heat chambers, or any other device that would benefit from the heating or cooling of the air within a defined cavity or chamber.
Of course, the foregoing description is that of certain features, aspects and advantages of the present invention, to which various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Moreover, the heated or cooled dishware and drinkware need not feature all of the objects, advantages, features and aspects discussed above. Thus, for example, those of skill in the art will recognize that the invention can be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or a group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. In addition, while a number of variations of the invention have been shown and described in detail, other modifications and methods of use, which are within the scope of this invention, will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art based upon this disclosure. It is contemplated that various combinations or subcombinations of these specific features and aspects of embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the discussed locking mechanism assemblies and the devices in which it's used.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2017/022509 | 3/15/2017 | WO | 00 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62309586 | Mar 2016 | US |
