Granted Patent B2

US 12,185,870 · App. 18/489,760 · Granted Jan 7, 2025

Inventor: Clayton Alexander (Westlake Village, CA)

Assignee: Ember Technologies, Inc.

A47J36/2472A47G19/02A47G19/027A47G19/2288A47J27/21041A47J27/2105A47J27/21083A47J31/4417A47J31/4425A47J31/4457A47J36/2416A47J36/2466A47J36/2494A47J36/32A47J36/321A47J39/025A47J41/0005A47J41/0044A47J41/005A47J41/0094F25B21/04F25D3/08A47J2202/00F25B2600/07F25D2303/0831F25D2331/808F25D2400/36F25D2700/16

Abstract

Claims (40)

1. An actively heated mug, comprising:

a mug body having a chamber between a proximal end of the body and a base, the chamber configured to receive and hold a liquid, a cavity defined between the base and a bottom portion of the mug, the bottom portion defining a recess with electrical contacts configured to receive a raised portion of a charging base with electrical contacts;

one or more heating elements disposed on a bottom surface of the base and configured to actively heat at least a portion of the chamber;

one or more batteries disposed in the cavity;

circuitry disposed in the cavity and configured to control an operation of the one or more heating elements; and

a user interface electrically connected to the circuitry and having one or more buttons configured a) to adjust a temperature setting to multiple user selected temperature settings in response to the one or more buttons being pressed multiple times to control the operation of the one or more heating elements to heat the liquid in the chamber to the user selected temperature setting, and b) to turn off the one or more heating elements in response to the one or more buttons being pressed another time.

2. The mug of claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors configured to detect a presence of a liquid in the chamber, the circuitry configured to automatically turn off power to the one or more heating elements after receiving a signal indicating that the liquid in the chamber has dropped below a predetermined liquid level or been depleted completely.

3. The mug of claim 1 , wherein the one or more buttons adjust the temperature setting to a first temperature setpoint in response to the one or more buttons being pressed a first time, adjusts the temperature setting to a second temperature setpoint different than the first temperature setpoint in response to the one or more buttons being pressed a second time, adjusts the temperature to a third temperature setpoint different than the first temperature setpoint and the second temperature setpoint in response to the one or more buttons being pressed a third time, and turns off the one or more heating elements in response to the one or more buttons being pressed a fourth time.

4. The mug of claim 1 , further comprising a visual indicator configured to display a charge level of the one or more batteries.

5. The mug of claim 1 , further comprising a visual indicator configured to display the user selected temperature setting.

6. The mug of claim 5 , wherein the visual indicator includes one or more indicator lights operable to indicate the user selected temperature setting.

7. The mug of claim 1 , further comprising one or more temperature sensors.

8. The mug of claim 1 , wherein the one or more heating elements comprises a resistive heater.

9. The mug of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless power receiver.

10. The mug of claim 1 , wherein the one or more buttons are also configured to c) turn on the one or more heating elements to heat the chamber, the one or more buttons providing a toggle switch to sequentially toggle to turning on the one or more heating elements, to adjusting the temperature setting to the multiple user selected temperature settings to control the operation of the one or more heating elements, and to turning off the one or more heating elements as the one or more buttons is sequentially pressed.

11. An actively heated mug, comprising:

a mug body having a chamber between a proximal end of the body and a base, the chamber configured to receive and hold a liquid, a cavity defined between the base and a bottom portion of the mug;

a resistive heater disposed on a bottom surface of the base and configured to actively heat at least a portion of the chamber;

one or more batteries;

circuitry configured to control an operation of the resistive heater;

a motion sensor configured to detect a motion of the mug, the motion sensor configured to communicate with the circuitry, the circuitry configured to automatically turn off power to the resistive heater after no motion of the mug is detected by the motion sensor; and

a user interface electrically connected to the circuitry and having a button configured a) to adjust a temperature setting to multiple user selected temperature settings in response to the button being pressed multiple times to control the operation of the resistive heater to heat the liquid in the chamber to the user selected temperature setting, and b) turn off the resistive heater in response to the one or more buttons being pressed another time.

12. The mug of claim 11 , wherein the button adjusts the temperature setting to a first temperature setpoint in response to the button being pressed a first time, adjusts the temperature setting to a second temperature setpoint different than the first temperature setpoint in response to the button is pressed a second time, adjusts the temperature to a third temperature setpoint different than the first temperature setpoint and the second temperature setpoint in response to the button is pressed a third time, and turns off the resistive heater in response to the button is pressed a fourth time.

13. The mug of claim 11 , further comprising one or more sensors configured to detect a presence of a liquid in the chamber, the circuitry configured to automatically turn off power to the resistive heater after receiving a signal indicating that the liquid in the chamber has dropped below a predetermined liquid level or been depleted completely.

14. The mug of claim 11 , further comprising a visual indicator configured to display a charge level of the one or more batteries.

15. The mug of claim 11 , further comprising a visual indicator configured to display the user selected temperature setting, the visual indicator including one or more indicator lights operable to indicate the user selected temperature setting.

16. The mug of claim 11 , further comprising one or more temperature sensors.

17. The mug of claim 11 , wherein the one or more buttons are also configured to c) turn on the resistive heater to heat the chamber, the one or more buttons providing a toggle switch to sequentially toggle from turning on the resistive heater, to adjusting the temperature setting to the multiple user selected temperature settings to control the operation of the resistive heater, and to turning off the resistive heater as the button is sequentially pressed.

18. An actively heated mug, comprising:

a mug body having a chamber between a proximal end of the body and a base, the chamber configured to receive and hold a liquid, a cavity defined between the base and a bottom portion of the mug;

a resistive heater disposed on a bottom surface of the base and configured to actively heat at least a portion of the chamber;

one or more batteries disposed in the cavity;

circuitry disposed in the cavity and configured to control an operation of the resistive heater;

one or more temperature sensors in communication with the circuitry, the one or more temperature sensors configured to sense a temperature of the chamber; and

a user interface electrically connected to the circuitry and having a button configured a) to adjust a temperature setting to multiple user selected temperature settings in response to the button being pressed multiple times to control the operation of the resistive heater to heat the liquid in the chamber to the user selected temperature setting, and b) turn off the resistive heater in response to the button being pressed another time,

wherein the button is actuatable to toggle to a first temperature setting in response to the button being pressed one time, toggle to a second temperature setting higher than the first temperature setting in response to the button being pressed another time, toggle to a third temperature setting higher than the second temperature setting in response to the button being pressed another time, and toggle to turn off the resistive heater in response to the button being pressed another time.

19. The mug of claim 18 , further comprising one or more sensors configured to detect a presence of a liquid in the chamber, the circuitry configured to automatically turn off power to the resistive heater after receiving a signal indicating that the liquid in the chamber has dropped below a predetermined liquid level or been depleted completely.

20. The mug of claim 18 , further comprising a visual indicator configured to display a charge level of the one or more batteries.

21. The mug of claim 20 , further comprising a visual indicator configured to display the user selected temperature setting, the visual indicator including one or more indicator lights operable to indicate the user selected temperature setting.

22. The mug of claim 18 , wherein the button is also configured to c) turn on the resistive heater to heat the chamber in response to the button being pressed, the button providing a toggle switch to sequentially toggle to turning on the resistive heater, to the first temperature setting, to the second temperature setting, to the third temperature setting, and to turning off the resistive heater as the button is sequentially pressed.

Assignments (4)

Continuity (11)

References Cited (400)