Electrically heated beverage cup and cupholder system
US6121585A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 30, 1999 |
| Grant date | Sep 19, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 30, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH05B2203/02
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A beverage cup and cupholder system made in accordance with the principles of the present invention includes a beverage cup 10 and a cupholder 50. The beverage cup 10 includes a sleeve 13, a liner 19, and a base 20. The base 20 includes an O-ring 22, a plate 23, a heating element 27 and spring terminals 28a, 28b. The heating element preferably exhibits a variable PTC effect. The base further includes a contact ring 25 and a contact disk 29. The cupholder 50 is adapted to mate with the base 20 of the beverage cup 10. Preferably, the cupholder 50 has recessed land areas 57, 58 which lie below a plane of support 53 for the beverage cup 50. The recessed land areas 57, 58 are electrically isolated from each other. The cupholder includes spring contacts 52, 54 which are adapted to receive connections from an external source of electrical current. The spring contacts 52, 54 extend into the recessed land areas 57, 58. The beverage cup 10, when filled with a hot beverage, is placed into the cupholder 50. As the beverage cup 10 is placed into the cupholder 50, the contact disk 29 and contact ring 25 automatically align with the recessed land areas 57, 58 and make contact with the spring cont…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.