Patent Application
20120102972
This invention relates to a thermally conductive cup and holder and more particularly to a thermally conductive cup and cup holder for connection to a computer for maintaining a temperature of a beverage in the cup.
Household electric machines for brewing and dispensing hot and cold beverages are known and have been in use for many years. For example, a Mazza U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,505 discloses a machine for the preparation of both hot and cold beverages. The machine is characterized in that it comprises a receptacle for at leaset one cartridge containing an ingredient in solid or concentrated liquid form, for the preparation of a beverage. The machine includes a mechanism for rupturing the cartridge and for establishing communication between the cartridge and a source of liquid, which has been conditioned for the preparation of the beverage concerned, a refrigeration circuitry adapted to feed, the appropriate valve means, the source of conditioned liquid, a heating circuitry adapted to feed via appropriate valve means, the source of conditioned liquid as an alternative with respect to said refrigerating circuitry, control and selection means for the source of the conditioned liquid to switch it from and to said heating circuitry or said refrigerating circuitry, and a common feed for the liquid to be conditioned (that is to be either heated or cooled) respectively, to said heating circuitry and to said refrigerating circuitry.
A more recent hot/cold beverage brewing device is disclosed in a U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,883 of Usherovich. As disclosed therein a brewing device is provided which includes a conventional brewing assembly and a cooling assembly for brewing a hot beverage and then dispending the beverage as a hot beverage or diverting it to the cooling system to dispense it as a cold beverage. A switching assembly is provided to permit the user to selectively choose between a hot beverage and cold beverage. The device also provides a novel cooling cartridge which permits the introduction of hot liquid and results in the dispensing of cold liquid from the cold cartridge.
Finally, a thermoelectrically heated/cooled cup holder system is shown in a Schafer U.S. Pat. No. 7,089,749. As disclosed, a system for retaining and controlling the temperature of a beverage suitable for installation in an automobile includes a generally cylindrical, open-topped heat-conductive expandable cup holder, a heat-conductive liner, one or more thermoelectric devices located on a vertical exterior side of the cup holder, a heat sink contacting the thermoelectric device and thermally insulated from the cup holder, and a switch. The placement of the thermoelectric device and an improved arrangement for contact between the cup holder and the cup enable more efficient heat transfer.
Notwithstanding the above, it is presently believed that there is a need and a potential commercial market for an improved thermal conducting cup and holder in accordance with the present invention. There should be a need and a commercial market for such devices because they are specifically designed for use with a laptop or PC so that an individual can keep their beverage hot or cold when they are using their computer without interrupting their work on the computer. Further, the device in accordance with the present invention requires a relatively small current to maintain the beverage at a cold or hot temperature without requiring an individual to reheat or maintain a cold drink at a predetermined temperature. It is also believed that the device as disclosed herein can be manufactured at a competitive price and that such devices are relatively sturdy and would require little or no maintenance or repair.
In essence, the present invention contemplates a thermally conductive cup and holder for maintaining a temperature of a beverage in a cup. The cup and holder comprise:
a hollow receptacle having an open top, a closed bottom and an upper and a lower portion between said top and said bottom of the receptacle;
the upper portion is preferably made of a thermally insulating material while the lower portion and bottom of the receptacle are made of a thermally conductive material such as Aluminum;
the cup holder includes a heat conductive liner for engaging the lower portion and bottom of the cup.
Further, the thermal electric device adjacent to the heat conductive layer is connected to a first source of electrical energy for energizing the thermal electric device. A switch for heating or cooling the thermal electric device and for maintaining the temperature of a beverage in the receptacle is provided.
A second switch for selecting heating or cooling a hot or cold beverage is also provided.
The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying figures wherein like reference numerals have been used to indicate like parts.
As illustrated in
The mug 20 also includes an upper portion 34 that includes a layer of a thermally insulating material such as porcelain or other ceramic material, extending around the upper portion 28 that can be held by an individual without discomfort from a hot or cold surface. A ceramic handle 32 extends from an upper portion 28 to the lower portion 30 for holding the cup or mug. This handle is also preferably made of ceramic material that is insulated from a lining 33. A porcelain layer is basically of a fine grain, non-porous ceramic layer that consists essentially of kaolin, quartz and feldspar that is fired at high temperature or other ceramic material.
The holder 40 for maintaining the temperature of a beverage contained in the cup or mug 20 includes a base 42 and an engaging portion 44 that is brought into contact with the lower portion 30 and bottom 24 of the mug 20 for maintaining the temperature of a beverage contained by the mug 20. The holder 40 is not designed to raise or lower the temperature of the beverage but intended to add sufficient heat or cooling to maintain the temperature of a hot or cold beverage for several hours.
As illustrated in
Further, the holder 40 is connected to a laptop computer 46 by means of a cable 47 and USB connector 47′. As illustrated in
A thermal electric or Peltier device 53 is disposed in a lower portion of the holder 40 and heats and/or cools a liner or engaging portion 51 The Peltier device may be any suitable conventional available device that will operate at low voltage with low current. For example, the device will typically include a pair of ceramic plates separated by an array of bismuth telluride elements or the like. When a direct current is applied in a give polarity across the thermoelectric device 53 heat is transferred from one of the ceramic plates (the source) to the other (the sink) cooling the source side and heating the sink side. If the plurality of the current is reversed, the flow if heat is reversed. This reversibility of the direction of heat flow as well as the compact nature of the device makes thermoelectric devices ideal for the present application. Such devices are well know and readily available in the commercial market place.
A single thermoelectric device may be disposed adjacent the liner for use with a cup or cup holder. However, using multiple thermoelectric devices as shown in
While the invention has been described in connection with its preferred embodiments it should be recognized that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
