MOBILE HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM FOR A BEVERAGE

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a non-provisional application that claims benefit to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/010,709 filed on Jun. 11, 2014, and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

This document relates to a mobile heating and cooling system, and in particular to a mobile heating and cooling system that provides a means for heating or cooling a liquid, such as a beverage, without use of electricity or gas.

BACKGROUND

In many instances, it may be desirable to heat or cool a beverage to maintain the beverage at the desired temperature over a long period of time, such as during a commute to work or a long distance drive. Mobile heating systems are known for heating a beverage in a vehicle; however, these conventional systems require either an operable electrical outlet in the vehicle or a constant supply of batteries to power the heating apparatus. Other types of conventional mobile heating systems require a gas source to power the heating apparatus which may not be suitable for use in a vehicle. In addition, mobile cooling systems can require the use of a refrigerant which can make the cooling apparatus too bulky or large for use in a vehicle, while the use of a cooler with ice is an impractical means of cooling a beverage in a vehicle since it requires the individual to continually access the cooler to retrieve the chilled beverage. As such, there is a need in the art for a mobile combined heating and cooling system that can both heat or cool a beverage for use in a vehicle or other type a mobile transport.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a first embodiment of a combined heating and cooling system;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a second embodiment of a combined heating and cooling system; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a third embodiment of a combined heating and cooling system.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding elements among the view of the drawings. The headings used in the figures do not limit the scope of the claims.

DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of a combined heating and cooling system having a base defining a receptacle configured to receive a cooling and heating element therein for providing a source of heat or cooling effect to a beverage are described herein. Referring to the drawings, embodiments of a combined heating and cooling system are illustrated and generally indicated as 100, 200 and 300 in FIGS. 1-3.

Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of the combined heating and cooling system, designated 100, may include a base 102 configured to receive therein a heating and cooling element 104 that produces a heating or cooling effect to a beverage container 106, such as a cup, glass or bottle, which contains a cooled or heated liquid. In some embodiments, the heating and cooling element 104 includes a heating and cooling material (not shown) contained within a pliable body 124 configured to be seated within the base 102. As shown, the base 102 includes a circular-shaped receptacle 120 that defines an interior portion 118 configured to receive the pliable body 124 of the heating and cooling element 104 therein.

In some embodiments, the heating and cooling element 104 may be made for a microwavable material which produces a heating effect when heated inside a microwave for a predetermined period of time. In other embodiments, the heating and cooling element 104 may be made from a material that produces a cooling effect when placed inside a freezer or other cooling apparatus for a period of time. As such, when the heating and cooling element 104 is disposed within the receptacle 120 of the base 102 and the beverage container 106 placed on top of the heating and cooling element 104, the heating or cooling effect produced by the heating and cooling element 104 is imparted to the beverage container 106 to heat or cool the liquid contained therein.

In some embodiments, the base 102 further defines a flange 122 that extends outwardly from the receptacle 120 for providing a stable platform to permit the base 102 to be placed on a substantially flat surface. For example, the base 102 may be configured to be placed on a table or within a beverage well that is typically provided in most vehicles for receiving a beverage container 106. In this way, the beverage container 106 may be heated or cooled without having to heat the liquid therein in a microwave or cooled by placing the beverage container 106 in a refrigerator.

Referring to FIG. 2, another embodiment of the mobile heating and cooling system, designated 200, is shown. In this embodiment, the heating and cooling system 200 may include a heating and cooling container 202 configured to receive one or more beverage containers 206 therein for heating and cooling the liquid inside the beverage containers 206. In some embodiments, the heating and cooling container 202 defines an interior portion 212 that is configured to receive a number of beverage containers 206, although in other embodiments the interior portion 212 may be configured to receive one beverage container 206. As shown, in some embodiments, the body of the heating and cooling container 202 may include heating and cooling portions 210 spliced at select areas along the wall 216 and/or bottom portion 214 of the heating and cooling container 202.

Similar to the heating and cooling system 100, the heating and cooling portions 210 of the heating and cooling system 200 generate either a heating effect when heated beforehand in a microwave or a cooling effect when cooled beforehand in a cooling apparatus, such as a refrigerator or freezer. The heating and cooling container 202 can be placed on any substantially flat surface, such as a table, or disposed in a recess or well, such as in a vehicle, to provide an area suitable for placement of the heating and cooling container 202 to maintain a chilled or heated liquid at a preferred chilled or heated state inside the beverage container 206.

In some embodiments, the heating and cooling portions 210 may be configured as substantially straight narrow portions of a heating and/or cooling material that extend from the opening 218 to the bottom portion 214 of the heating and cooling container 202; however, the heating and cooling portions 210 may also have different types of configurations that establish a pattern in the heating and cooling container 202.

In some embodiments, the heating and cooling portions 210 may form a part or the entire bottom portion 214 of the cooling and heating container 202. In addition, the heating and cooling container 202 may be configured such that the beverage container 206 is fully disposed within the interior portion 212 of the heating and cooling container 202 or the heating and cooling container 202 may be configured to have a portion of the beverage container 206 extend outwardly from the interior portion 212 when the beverage container 206 is disposed within the interior portion 212.

Referring to FIG. 3, another embodiment of the mobile heating and cooling system, designated 300, is shown. In this embodiment, the heating and cooling system 300 may include a ladle 302 defining a receptacle portion 312 forming an interior portion 314 configured to receive a heating and cooling element 314 having a substantially rounded pliable body therein. In some embodiments, the heating and cooling element 304 is substantially the same as the heating and cooling element 104 in that the heating and cooling element 304 includes a material that produces a heating effect when heated in a microwave or a cooling effect when cooled in a refrigerator, freezer or other cooling apparatus beforehand.

As shown, the ladle 302 further includes a handle 310 forming a gripping portion 314 at the free end thereof. The ladle is configured to be handled by an individual such that the heating and cooling element 304 disposed in the receptacle portion 312 may be transported to another area, such as a vehicle. In this arrangement, the individual may then sit a beverage container on top of the heating and cooling element 304 within the receptacle portion 314 such that the heating or cooling effect imparted by the heating or cooling element 304 either heats or cools the liquid within the beverage container 306.

It should be understood from the foregoing that, while particular embodiments have been illustrated and described, various modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teachings of this invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.