Handheld beverage receptacles

Abstract

A handheld beverage receptacle assembly 2 with a power base and a handheld beverage receptacle 6 for positioning on the power base, the handheld beverage receptacle includes a housing 8 having a bever

Description

The present invention relates to a handheld beverage receptacle assembly, in particular to a handheld beverage receptacle assembly comprising a handheld beverage receptacle for heating a beverage to boiling. Handheld beverage receptacles, e.g. flasks, can be used to store beverages for consumption on-the-go. Such receptacles may include some form of thermal insulation used to maintain the temperature of the liquid contained therein, which may be hot or cold. A hot beverage may be prepared in a domestic setting, e.g. using a kettle or a coffee machine, and dispensed into a handheld beverage receptacle for consumption elsewhere. Some receptacles include electrical heaters which assist in maintaining the temperature of the beverage. However, such receptacles may be limited in their functionality. In some cases, this is because the provision of the necessary electrical components makes the receptacle too bulky for practical handheld use, and in other cases the receptacles may be capable only of maintaining a liquid temperature within a narrow temperature range. The present invention aims to address, or at least mitigate, at least one of the problems outlined above. When viewed from a first aspect, the present invention provides a handheld beverage receptacle assembly comprising: a power base comprising a 360° base electrical connector part; and a handheld beverage receptacle for positioning on the power base, the handheld beverage receptacle comprising a housing which comprises: a beverage heating chamber for receiving a beverage to be heated, wherein the diameter of the housing at its widest point is less than 100 mm; an electrical heater arranged to heat the contents of the beverage heating chamber to boiling; a 360° cordless electrical adapter part arranged to mate with the 360° base electrical connector part when the handheld beverage receptacle is positioned on the power base so as to receive a supply of electrical power for the heater; and a control arrangement configured to detect when a beverage within the beverage heating chamber reaches boiling and, in response, to switch off the electrical heater. When viewed from a second aspect, the present invention provides a handheld beverage receptacle for positioning on a corresponding power base, the handheld beverage receptacle comprising a housing which comprises: a beverage heating chamber for receiving a beverage to be heated, wherein the diameter of the housing at its widest point is less than 100 mm; an electrical heater arranged to heat the contents of the beverage heating chamber to boiling; a 360° cordless electrical adapter part arranged to mate with a corresponding 360° base electrical connector part when the handheld beverage receptacle is positioned on a power base so as to receive a supply of electrical power for the heater; and a control arrangement configured to detect when a beverage within the beverage heating chamber reaches boiling and, in response, to switch off the electrical heater. Thus the present invention provides a handheld beverage receptacle assembly that comprises a handheld beverage receptacle with a housing diameter at its widest point that is less than 100 mm. This means that the beverage receptacle is well-suited to being carried in a user’s hand. The handheld beverage receptacle may be a flask or cup. The provision of an electrical heater that is arranged to heat the contents of the beverage heating chamber to boiling may dramatically improve the functionality of the beverage receptacle, in comparison to conventional handheld beverage receptacles. It will be appreciated that this may allow a user to heat or reheat a beverage to boiling point, e.g. from room temperature or colder. This may significantly improve the convenience of using the beverage receptacle, as the user need not be required to boil the liquid using a different appliance (e.g. a kettle) and transfer the boiled liquid to the handheld beverage receptacle. In some embodiments, the diameter of the housing at its widest point is between 70 and 90 mm, e.g. approximately 80 mm. The Applicant has identified that a housing having a widest diameter in this range may be particularly suitable for allowing the beverage receptacle to be carried in a user’s hand comfortably. In some embodiments, the beverage receptacle further comprises a handle extending outwards from an outer surface of the housing. This may also improve the ease and / or comfort with which the beverage receptacle may be carried by a user. It will be understood that all beverages are water-based and hence the electrical heater has a power rating suitable for heating the contents of the beverage heating chamber to a boiling temperature of about 100 °C. In some embodiments, the power rating of the electrical heater is between 300 W and 700 W, e.g. between 500 W and 600 W, e.g. approximately 500 W or 550 W. The Applicant has appreciated that an electrical heater of this power may be particularly suitable for bringing to boil a volume of liquid contained within a beverage heating chamber defined by a housing having the diameter claimed. The electrical heater may be arranged within the beverage heating chamber. In some embodiments, the electrical heater is arranged below the beverage heating chamber, e.g. directly below a base of the beverage heating chamber. In some embodiments, the electrical heater defines the base of the beverage heating chamber. The electrical heater may be substantially planar. The electrical heater may comprise a sheathed electrical heating element. In some embodiments, the electrical heater comprises a flat plate electrical heater. The electrical heater may comprise a substrate and an electrically resistive track, wherein the electrically resistive track is deposited on the substrate. The electrical heater may comprise a thick-film printed element or a sprayed element deposited (e.g. as an electrically resistive track) on the substrate. Such heating elements may operate at high temperatures, e.g. more than 200 °C, which may allow the electrical heater to heat the beverage to boiling at a faster rate (e.g. compared to sheathed electrical heating elements). The electrically resistive track may be deposited on the substrate such that it follows a serpentine path across the substrate. This may help to increase the overall heating power density of the electrical heater, which may reduce the time taken for the electrical heater to heat the contents of the beverage heating chamber to boiling. In some embodiments, the overall power density of the electrical heater is between 7 W / cm2 and 18 W / cm2, e.g. between 9 W / cm2 and 15 W / cm2, e.g. between 12 W / cm2 and 14 W / cm2, e.g. approximately 13 W / cm2. Power density should be understood to mean power per unit area. The power density of the electrical heater may substantially correspond to the power density of the electrically resistive track. It will be appreciated that the overall power density of the electrical heater is the overall heating power of the electrically resistive track per unit area of the substrate (when viewed in plan view), including the area of the substrate on which heater track is deposited. In some embodiments, the power density of the electrical heater track is between 30 W / cm2 and 70 W / cm2, e.g. between 40 W / cm2 and 55 W / cm2, e.g. approximately 45 W / cm2. It will be appreciated that the power density of the electrically resistive track is the heating power of the electrically resistive track per unit area of the electrically resistive track (where the area of the electrically resistive track is the area of the electrically resistive track that is in contact with the substrate). In some embodiments, the control arrangement comprises a (e.g. electrical) temperature sensor arranged to detect a temperature (e.g. beverage temperature) within the beverage heating chamber. The temperature sensor may be a thermistor. The temperature sensor may comprise a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) sensor. The temperature sensor may be mounted within the beverage heating chamber. The temperature sensor may be mounted to the electrical heater. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor is arranged in contact with the (e.g. substrate of the) electrical heater. The temperature sensor may be arranged to detect when a beverage within the beverage heating chamber reaches boiling. The control arrangement may be configured to switch off the electrical heater in response to the temperature sensor detecting when the beverage reaches boiling (e.g. in response to the temperature sensor outputting a signal indicating that a boiling temperature has been measured by the temperature sensor). The control arrangement may include a processor, relay and / or an electronic switch configured to switch off the electrical heater in response to a signal received from the temperature sensor indicating that a boiling temperature has been measured by the temperature sensor. In addition to boiling detection, the temperature sensor may be arranged to detect when a beverage within the beverage heating chamber has cooled below a certain temperature and the control arrangement may be configured to switch on the electrical heater (e.g. for a short period) in order to keep the beverage warm. In some embodiments, the control arrangement comprises a thermally sensitive (e.g. bimetallic) actuator configured to detect a temperature of the electrical heater and operable at a predetermined overheat temperature to interrupt the supply of electrical power to the electrical heater. The predetermined temperature may correspond to a temperature of the electrical heater during an overheat (e.g. “dryboil”) scenario. In some embodiments, the control arrangement further comprises an electrical power supply circuit for providing (e.g. mains) electrical power from the 360° cordless electrical adapter part to the electrical heater. The control arrangement may comprise a leaf spring arranged to open and close the electrical power supply circuit, the leaf spring comprising a fixed end and a moveable portion that is moveable relative to the fixed end between a closed position and an open position, wherein the leaf spring comprises a kink between the fixed end and the moveable portion, and wherein the control arrangement further comprises a moveable electrical contact, mounted on the moveable portion of the leaf spring, mating with a corresponding fixed electrical contact in the electrical power supply circuit when the leaf spring is in the closed position, wherein the thermally sensitive actuator is arranged such that, when the thermally sensitive actuator operates at the predetermined overheat temperature, the thermally sensitive actuator moves the moveable portion of the leaf spring from the closed position to the open position in which the moveable electrical contact is separated from the fixed electrical contact to interrupt the electrical power supply circuit. As is described in more detail in WO2024 / 149896, the provision of a kink in the leaf spring (i.e. a deviation from the otherwise planar shape of the leaf spring) results in an increased effective bending length. This allows the leaf spring to be shorter in its footprint length whilst helping to prevent the stress in the leaf spring from exceeding the yield stress of the material of the leaf spring. As a result, the entire control arrangement may be made smaller. This may reduce the cost of manufacturing the control arrangement, and may allow the beverage receptacle to be made smaller (particularly with a smaller diameter), which facilitates the handheld nature of the receptacle. This may also help to improve the safety of the beverage receptacle as, despite the small diameter of the receptacle, it may still be provided with a reliable overheatdetection safety mechanism. In some embodiments, the handheld beverage receptacle comprises an integrated control unit mounted to the electrical heater, the integrated control unit comprising the 360° cordless electrical adapter part and the control arrangement. The Applicant has appreciated that an integrated control unit comprising a ‘kinked’ leaf spring and a thermally sensitive (e.g. bimetallic) actuator configured to detect an overheat temperature, both as described above, can provide the desirable function of a safe control arrangement for heating the beverage to boiling, while being small enough to fit within the housing diameter which is less than 100 mm. The 360° cordless electrical adapter part and the corresponding 360° base electrical connector part may comprise any suitable number of electrical poles, e.g. 3 poles or 5 poles. In some embodiments, the housing of the handheld beverage receptacle comprises a floor that is arranged to contact an upper surface of the power base when the handheld beverage receptacle is positioned on the power base. The handheld beverage receptacle may comprise a control compartment defined between the base of the beverage heating chamber and the floor of the housing. Thus, the control compartment may be arranged below the beverage heating chamber. For example, the control compartment may be defined at an upper end by the electrical heater and at a lower end by the floor of the housing. In some embodiments, the control arrangement is arranged within the control compartment. In some embodiments, the height of the control compartment is between 20 mm and 40 mm, e.g. between 25 mm and 35 mm, e.g. approximately 30 mm. The height of the control compartment may be the vertical distance between the inner surface of the floor of the housing of the beverage receptacle and the lower surface of the beverage heating chamber (or the lower surface of the electrical heater, e.g. if the electrical heater defines or is arranged below the base of the beverage heating chamber). This means that the height of the control compartment defines the space available for accommodating the control arrangement (e.g. for accommodating an integrated control unit comprising the control arrangement and the 360° cordless electrical adapter part). The height of the beverage heating chamber may be the vertical distance, e.g. from the base of the beverage heating chamber to its upper end, that may be occupied by a beverage during use of the appliance (e.g. the distance from the base to an aperture or a lid of the beverage heating chamber). In some embodiments, the ratio of the height of the control compartment to the height of the beverage heating chamber is between 1:10 and 1:3, e.g. between 1:7 and 1:4, e.g. approximately 1:5. In some embodiments, the volume of the beverage heating chamber is between 200 ml and 800 ml, e.g. between 300 ml and 700 ml, e.g. approximately 350 ml, 380 ml, 400 ml, 480 ml, 500 ml, 550 ml or 620 ml. In some embodiments, the housing of the handheld beverage receptacle comprises an inner wall and an outer wall, wherein the inner wall defines the beverage heating chamber and wherein the outer wall surrounds the inner wall. Providing a housing comprising a double-wall may help to improve the thermal insulation of the housing, at least where the housing surrounds the beverage heating chamber. In some embodiments, the housing comprises a vacuum between the inner wall and the outer wall. This may also improve the thermal insulation of the housing. The inner wall and the outer wall may be made from any suitable material. The inner wall and the outer wall may be made from the same material or different materials. In some embodiments, the inner wall and / or the outer wall is made from any one of steel (e.g. stainless steel), plastic, and glass. In some embodiments, the inner wall and the outer wall are made from glass. In some embodiments, the inner wall and the outer wall is made from stainless steel. In some embodiments, the inner wall is made from stainless steel and the outer wall is made from plastic. In some embodiments, the inner wall is made from glass. This may be particularly beneficial as it may be easier for a user to clean, which can reduce the risk of the inner wall becoming tainted by the contents of the beverage heating chamber, potentially leading to discolouration and / or a residual taste. In some embodiments, the outer wall comprises a window for viewing the contents of the beverage heating chamber. In such embodiments, the inner wall may be made from glass. This may improve the ease with which a user can assess the fill level of the beverage heating chamber. In some embodiments, the handheld beverage receptacle further comprises an insulating (e.g. rubber, e.g. silicone) sleeve extending around at least a portion of an outer surface of the housing. This may provide thermal insulation and may improve the ease with which a user can grasp the housing of the handheld beverage receptacle. In some embodiments, the housing of the handheld beverage receptacle comprises a single wall and the handheld beverage receptacle further comprises a silicone sleeve extending around at least a portion of the single wall. In some embodiments, the housing of the handheld beverage receptacle comprises inner and outer glass walls and the handheld beverage receptacle further comprises a silicone sleeve extending around at least a portion of the glass walls. In some embodiments, the control arrangement comprises a body on which the 360° cordless electrical adapter part is mounted. The body of the control arrangement may be a plastic body. The body may define a circular aperture within which the 360° cordless electrical adapter part is mounted. In some embodiments, the body comprises a mount plate on which the thermally sensitive actuator is mounted. The body of the control arrangement (e.g. the mount plate) may be mounted to the electrical heater. As mentioned above, the control arrangement may be comprised in an integrated control unit mounted to the electrical heater. The integrated control unit may include the body and mount plate. In some embodiments, the control arrangement comprises a printed circuit board including at least one electronic component for controlling operation of the electrical heater. The at least one electronic component may be a processor, a relay, an electronic switch (e.g. TRIAC), a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature within the beverage heating chamber (e.g. as described above), a voltage transformer, e.g. for stepping down the voltage provided to one or more electronic components, a wireless communication transceiver (e.g. a WiFi transceiver), or an input means (e.g. a push button or a capacitive touch sensor). The printed circuit board may be mounted (e.g. directly) to the body of the control arrangement (e.g. mounted to the integrated control unit). This contrasts with conventional arrangements in which the printed circuit board is mounted on the housing of the receptacle, rather than to the body of the control arrangement. Mounting the printed circuit board directly on the body of the control arrangement may allow the diameter of the beverage receptacle housing to be reduced, as the printed circuit board may be mounted closer to the control arrangement (in particular, closer to the 360° cordless electrical adapter part that is arranged centrally of the beverage receptacle). In some embodiments, the at least one electronic component comprises an input means for receiving an operational command from a user. The input means may comprise a push button. The input means may comprise a capacitive touch sensor. The at least one electronic component may further comprise a processor configured to control the electrical heater at least in part in dependence on an input received from the input means. In some embodiments, the at least one electronic component comprises a wireless communication (e.g. WiFi) transceiver configured to communicate with an external device (e.g. a PC or smartphone). The wireless communication (e.g. WiFi) transceiver may be configured to receive commands from the external device for controlling the electrical heater. The wireless communication (e.g. WiFi) transceiver may be configured to send data (e.g. measurements obtained by the temperature sensor) to the external device. The at least one electronic component may further comprise a processor configured to control the electrical heater at least in part in dependence on a command received by the wireless communication (e.g. WiFi) transceiver. In some embodiments, the printed circuit board is substantially planar. In some embodiments, the printed circuit board is a planar annulus or portion of an annulus. The printed circuit board may be mounted within the housing, for example in the control compartment (e.g. on the body of the control arrangement), such that the plane in which the printed circuit board extends is parallel to the plane of the electrical heater. This contrasts with conventional arrangements in which the printed circuit board is mounted perpendicularly to the plane of the electrical heater. By mounting the printed circuit board in a plane that is parallel, rather than perpendicular, to the electrical heater, the height occupied by the control arrangement within the housing (e.g. the vertical height of the control compartment) may be reduced. This is considered to be novel and inventive in its own right. Thus, when viewed from a third aspect, the present invention provides a handheld beverage receptacle assembly comprising: a power base comprising a 360° base electrical connector part; and a handheld beverage receptacle for positioning on the power base, the handheld beverage receptacle comprising a housing comprising: a beverage heating chamber for receiving a beverage to be heated; an electrical heater arranged to heat the contents of the beverage heating chamber, wherein the electrical heater is substantially planar; and a control compartment arranged below the beverage heating chamber, the control compartment including: a 360° cordless electrical adapter part arranged to mate with the 360° base electrical connector part when the handheld beverage receptacle is positioned on the power base so as to receive a supply of electrical power for the electrical heater; and a printed circuit board including at least one electronic component for controlling operation of the electrical heater, wherein the printed circuit board is substantially planar and is mounted within the control compartment such that the plane in which the printed circuit board extends is parallel to the plane of the electrical heater. When viewed from a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a handheld beverage receptacle for positioning on a corresponding power base, the handheld beverage receptacle comprising a housing comprising: a beverage heating chamber for receiving a beverage to be heated; an electrical heater arranged to heat the contents of the beverage heating chamber, wherein the electrical heater is substantially planar; and a control compartment arranged below the beverage heating chamber, the control compartment including: a 360° cordless electrical adapter part arranged to mate with a corresponding 360° base electrical connector part when the handheld beverage receptacle is positioned on a power base so as to receive a supply of electrical power for the heater; and a printed circuit board including at least one electronic component for controlling operation of the electrical heater, wherein the printed circuit board is substantially planar and is mounted within the control compartment such that the plane in which the printed circuit board extends is parallel to the plane of the electrical heater. In these aspects, as is also described for embodiments of the first and second aspects, the control compartment may be defined between the base of the beverage heating chamber and a floor of the housing. For example, the control compartment may be defined at an upper end by the electrical heater (e.g. mounted to the base of the beverage heating chamber) and at a lower end by the floor of the housing. The control compartment has the same maximum diameter as the housing. In some embodiments, the diameter of the housing at its widest point is less than 100 mm. The housing may further comprise an integrated control unit comprising the 360° cordless electrical adapter part. The integrated control unit may include a control arrangement configured to detect when a beverage within the beverage heating chamber reaches boiling and, in response, to switch off the electrical heater. The integrated control unit may comprise the printed circuit board. In some embodiments, the printed circuit board is mounted to a body of the integrated control unit. The body of the integrated control unit may be mounted to the (e.g. underside of the) electrical heater. As mentioned above, the printed circuit board may be mounted (e.g. directly) to the integrated control unit. This contrasts with conventional arrangements in which the printed circuit board is mounted on the housing of the receptacle. Mounting the printed circuit board directly on the body of the integrated control unit may allow the diameter of the beverage receptacle housing to be reduced, as the printed circuit board may be mounted closer to the 360° cordless electrical adapter part that is arranged centrally of the beverage receptacle. The electrical heater may comprise a sheathed electrical heating element. The electrical heater may comprise a flat plate electrical heater (e.g. comprising a substrate and a thick-film printed element or a sprayed element deposited on the substrate). Regardless of the type of electrical heater, by mounting the printed circuit board parallel to its plane it may be possible to achieve a reduced vertical height for the control compartment. The 360° cordless electrical adapter part and the corresponding 360° base electrical connector part may comprise any suitable number of electrical poles, e.g. 3 poles or 5 poles. The at least one electronic component may be a processor, a relay, an electronic switch (e.g. TRIAC),, a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature within the beverage heating chamber, a voltage transformer, e.g. for stepping down the voltage provided to one or more electronic components, a wireless communication transceiver (e.g. a WiFi transceiver), or an input means (e.g. a push button or a capacitive touch sensor). In some embodiments, the processor may be programmed to control the power supply to the electrical heater (e.g. using a relay or TRIAC) dependent on readings from a temperature sensor that is arranged to measure beverage temperature within the beverage heating chamber. For example, the processor may be configured to detect when a beverage within the beverage heating chamber reaches boiling and, in response, to switch off the electrical heater. In some embodiments, the control compartment may include a thermally sensitive (e.g. bimetallic) actuator configured to detect a temperature of the electrical heater and operable at a predetermined overheat temperature to interrupt the supply of electrical power to the electrical heater. Such a thermally sensitive (e.g. bimetallic) actuator may be mounted independently to the electrical heater or provided by an integrated control unit. Features of any of the embodiments of the first, second, third, or fourth aspects of the invention may include any one or more of the optional features outlined herein in respect of any of the first, second, third, or fourth aspects. Some preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a handheld beverage receptacle assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the handheld beverage receptacle of the assembly shown in Figure 1; Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the underside of the electrical heater and the control arrangement of the handheld beverage receptacle shown in Figure 1; Fig. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the control arrangement, the electrical heater, and the base electrical connector part of the handheld beverage receptacle assembly shown in Figure 1; Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the printed circuit board of the handheld beverage receptacle shown in Figure 1; Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of a handheld beverage receptacle assembly in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, in which the handheld beverage receptacle comprises a handle and a window; and Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of a handheld beverage receptacle assembly in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, in which the handheld beverage receptacle comprises a sleeve extending around the housing. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a handheld beverage receptacle assembly 2 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly 2 comprises a power base 4 and a cordless handheld beverage receptacle 6. The cordless handheld beverage receptacle (hereinafter the beverage receptacle) 6 comprises a housing 8 that comprises a beverage heating chamber 10 (shown in Figure 2). The top of the beverage heating chamber 10 is closed with a lid 12. The lid 12 is detachable from the housing 8 so that the beverage heating chamber 10 can be more easily filled and cleaned. The upper surface of the lid 12 comprises a drinking aperture 12a and a vent 12b, both of which are in fluid communication with the beverage heating chamber 10 when the lid 12 is arranged on the housing 8. The maximum diameter of the housing 8 is approximately 80 mm. The beverage receptacle 6 is arranged to rest on the power base 4. The housing 8 of the beverage receptacle 6 comprises a floor 7a that is arranged to contact an upper surface 7b of the power base 4 when the beverage receptacle 6 is positioned on the power base 4. The power base 4 comprises a central 360° base electrical connector part 14 for supplying the beverage receptacle 2 with electrical power, in particular mains electrical power. The power base 4 comprises a cable outlet 16 for accommodating a power cable (not shown) that connects the power base 4 to a mains electricity supply, e.g. via a wall plug. Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the handheld beverage receptacle assembly 2 in which, for illustration purposes, the housing 8 of the beverage receptacle 6 has been made transparent. The housing 8 comprises an inner housing 8a that defines the beverage heating chamber 10 and an outer housing 8b that surrounds the inner housing 8a and forms the outer surface of the beverage receptacle 6. A vacuum 9 may be formed between the inner housing 8a and the outer housing 8b to provide additional thermal insulation for the contents of the beverage heating chamber 10. Both the inner housing 8a and the outer housing 8b are made from stainless steel. It can be seen that the outer housing 8b extends below the base of the beverage heating chamber 10 to the floor 7a of the housing 8, thereby defining a control compartment 52 where a control arrangement 24 is located. The beverage receptacle 6 comprises an electrical heater 18. The electrical heater 18 is arranged at the base of the beverage heating chamber 10 so as to heat the contents of the beverage heating chamber 10 when, in use, the electrical heater 18 is energised, as described below. The control arrangement 24 fits beneath the electrical heater 18, in the control compartment 52 that is defined by the housing 8 and therefore has a maximum diameter of only 80 mm. The height of the beverage heating chamber 10, from the electrical heater 18 to the lower surface of the lid 12, is approximately 140 mm. The volume of the beverage heating chamber 10 is approximately 550 ml. The control compartment 52 extends between the electrical heater 18 and the floor 7a of the housing 8 at the base of the beverage receptacle 6. The height of the control compartment 52, from the underside of the electrical heater 18 to the floor 7a of the housing 8 at the underside of the beverage receptacle 6, is approximately 30 mm. The overall height of the beverage receptacle 6 (excluding the lid 12), from the base of the beverage receptacle 6 to the top of the beverage heating chamber 10, is approximately 160 mm. Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the underside of the electrical heater 18 and the control arrangement 24 of the beverage receptacle 6. This Figure therefore illustrates what is contained within the control compartment 52 seen in Fig. 2. The electrical heater 18 is a flat plate electrical heater, e.g. comprising a thick-film printed element or a sprayed element in the form of an electrically resistive track 28. The electrical heater 18 comprises a substrate 26 on which the heating element is deposited such that it follows a serpentine path across the lower surface of the substrate 26. The power of the electrical heater 18 is 600 W. The diameter of the substrate 26 is 72 mm. The control arrangement 24 comprises a 360° cordless electrical adapter part 30 that is configured to mate with the 360° base electrical connector part 14 of the power base 4 so as to receive a supply of electrical power from the power base 4. It can be seen that in this embodiment the control arrangement 24 is provided as an integrated control unit comprising a moulded plastics body 31 that houses the 360° cordless electrical adapter part 30. The electrically resistive track 28 is electrically connected to the cordless electrical adapter part 30. The control arrangement 24 is mounted to the underside of the electrical heater 18. The control arrangement 24 further comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) 50. The PCB 50 is mounted directly to a moulded plastics body 31 of the control arrangement 24 that houses the 360° cordless electrical adapter part 30. The PCB 50 is substantially planar, in the shape of semi-annulus, and the plane in which the PCB 50 extends is parallel to the plane of the electrical heater 18. The control arrangement 24, the electrical heater 18, and the base electrical connector part 14 of the power base 4 are shown in more detail in Figure 4, in isolation from other components of the beverage receptacle 6 and the power base 4. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the control arrangement 24, the electrical heater 18, and the base electrical connector part 14. The base electrical connector part 14 is shown schematically. In the embodiment depicted, the cordless electrical adapter part 30 is a 3-pole adapter comprising an earth pin conductor 30a, a live ring conductor 30b, and a neutral ring conductor 30c. The live ring conductor 30b and the neutral ring conductor 30c are concentrically arranged around the central earth pin 30a. The base electrical connector part 14 is a 3-pole connector comprising a central aperture 14a in which an earth electrical contact 33a is arranged, and a coaxial aperture 14b in which a live electrical contact 33b and a neutral electrical contact 33c are arranged. The live and neutral electrical contacts 33b, 33c are arranged to contact the live ring conductor 30b and the neutral ring conductor 30c respectively to form an electrical power supply circuit when the 360° cordless electrical adapter part 30 and the 360° base electrical connector part 14 are brought together. The earth electrical contact 33a is arranged to contact the earth pin conductor 30a. Whilst the embodiment shown herein comprises a 3-pole cordless electrical adapter part 30 and base electrical connector part 14, it will be appreciated that the adapter and connector parts 30, 14 may comprise any suitable number of poles, e.g. 5 poles. The control arrangement 24 comprises a first thermally sensitive actuator 34a and a second thermally sensitive actuator 34b, both supported by a metal mount plate 36 of the control arrangement 24. The thermally sensitive actuators 34a, 34b are snapaction bimetallic actuators, each configured to operate independently at a respective predetermined temperature (which may be the same temperature). The actuators 34a, 34b are positioned on the upper surface of the control arrangement 24 (i.e. the upper surface of the metal mount plate 36) such that the actuators 34a, 34b are arranged to detect a temperature of the electrical heater 18. As will be discussed in more detail below, the thermally sensitive actuators 34a, 34b are arranged such that their operation at the predetermined temperature(s) causes a switch 38 within the control arrangement 24 to be opened, thereby interrupting the supply of electrical energy to the electrical heater 18. As is known in the art, this allows the electrical heater 18 to be switched off in the event of a “dryboil” scenario, in which no liquid is present within the beverage heating chamber 10. The control arrangement 24 comprises a first push rod 40 that is arranged directly below the first thermally sensitive actuator 34a so as to be moved vertically downwards upon operation of the first thermally sensitive actuator 34a. The control unit 24 comprises a leaf spring 42 that has a fixed end 42a mounted to, and electrically connected to, the live ring conductor 30b of the 360° cordless electrical adapter part 30. The leaf spring 42 also comprises a moveable portion 42b, which extends from the point of deflection of the leaf spring 42. The first push rod 40 is arranged to a distal end of the moveable portion 42b of the leaf spring 42. The leaf spring 42 is arranged below the first push rod 40 such that, when the push rod 40 is moved downwards by the operation of the thermally sensitive actuator 34a, the moveable portion 42b of the leaf spring 42 is deflected downwards by the push rod 40. The leaf spring 42 comprises a moveable electrical contact 44 that is mounted on the moveable portion 42b of the leaf spring 42 between the fixed end 42a and the portion of the leaf spring 42 arranged to be contacted by the push rod 40. Ina closed position of the leaf spring 42, the moveable electrical contact 44 is in contact with a fixed live electrical contact 46 of the control unit 24. This connects the electrical power supply from the power base 4 to the electrical heater 18. The leaf spring 42 is biased into the closed position, meaning that the moveable electrical contact 44 is biased onto contact with the fixed electrical contact 46 by the leaf spring 42. As discussed above, when the first thermally sensitive actuator 34a operates at the predetermined temperature, the first push rod 40 is moved vertically downwards so as to bend the leaf spring 42 by deflecting the moveable portion 42b downwards relative to the fixed end 42a. As a result, the moveable electrical contact 44 is separated from the fixed electrical contact 46. Thus, the leaf spring 42 is moved into an open position, in which the supply of power to the electrical heater 18 is interrupted. It will be appreciated that the leaf spring 42 and the moveable and fixed electrical contacts 44, 46 thus together form the switch 38 that can be opened and closed to control the supply of power to the electrical heater 18. The leaf spring 42 comprises a kink 48 arranged between the fixed end 42a and the moveable portion 42b of the leaf spring 42. The kink 48 is substantially sinusoidal in cross-section, extending in an arc out of the plane of the leaf spring 42 and returning to substantially the same plane (i.e. corresponding to approximately half a sine wave). Incorporating a kink 48 into the shape of the leaf spring 42 can increase the effective bending length of the leaf spring 42, thereby helping to decrease the maximum induced stress, without increasing the footprint length of the leaf spring 42. This means a leaf spring 42 with a shorter footprint length can be used compared to conventional leaf springs (not comprising a kink), which means that the footprint width (e.g. diameter) of the control unit 24, and thus of the beverage receptacle 6 as a whole, can be reduced. This can help to make the beverage receptacle 6 more portable and more suitable for handheld use. Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the PCB 50. Other components of the beverage-making appliance 2, including the housing 8 and the electrical heater 18, have been hidden for clarity. The PCB 50 provides at least one electronic component involved in controlling operation of the electrical heater. The PCB 50 comprises an AC DC converter 54 for converting the supply of AC power received from the base electrical connector part 14 to DC power, which is used by other electronic components of the PCB 50. The PCB 50 also comprises connections 55 for connecting to a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor 56. The NTC thermistor 56 itself is mounted separately from the PCB 50 and is connected to the connections 55 of the PCB 50 by wires 57. As seen in Figure 3, the NTC 56 is mounted in contact with the substrate 26 of the electrical heater 18 so as to obtain measurements representative of the temperature of the beverage heating chamber 10. The PCB 50 further comprises a relay 58 configured to control the provision of electrical power to the electrical heater 18 in dependence, at least in part, on the measurements received from the NTC 56. The PCB 50 comprises a capacitive touch sensor 60 that is mounted to the PCB 50 such that it contacts the housing 8 of the beverage receptacle 6. When the capacitive touch sensor 60 is pressed by a user, the relay 58 is configured to provide electrical power to the electrical heater 18 until the NTC 56 detects a boiling temperature, at which point the relay 58 interrupts the supply of power to the electrical heater 18. Operation of the relay 58 may be effected by an integrated processor 64. The PCB 50 may include a CPU (not shown) that is connected to the NTC 56 and relay 58 and programmed to control operation of the electrical heater 14. The CPU may be programmed to execute a “keep warm” function by turning the electrical heater 14 on and off depending on the temperature detected by the NTC 56. The PCB 50 further comprises a WiFi module 62 that enables data, e.g. temperature measurements obtained by the NTC 56 to be sent to an external device (e.g. a smartphone). The WiFi module 62 is also configured to receive commands from an external device (e.g. smartphone) for controlling operation of the beverage receptacle 6. Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a handheld beverage receptacle assembly 102 in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly 102 is substantially the same as the handheld beverage receptacle assembly 2 of Figure 1, except that the handheld beverage receptacle 106 further comprises a handle 105 that extends outwards from the housing 108 to assist with a user carrying the receptacle 106. The diameter of the housing 108 (not including the handle 105) is approximately 80 mm, and the handle 105 extends from the housing 108 by approximately 40 mm. The housing 108 comprises a glass inner housing and a plastic outer housing. The handheld beverage receptacle 106 comprises a window 101, defined in the plastic outer housing, which allows the contents of the beverage heating chamber 110 to be viewed by a user through the glass inner housing. Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a handheld beverage receptacle assembly 202 in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly 202 is substantially the same as the handheld beverage receptacle assembly 2 of Figure 1, except that the housing 208 of the beverage receptacle 206 is made from glass, and the beverage receptacle 206 further comprises a silicone sleeve 203 that extends around the circumference of the glass housing 208. The silicone sleeve 203 provides thermal protection to assist a user with carrying the receptacle 206 when the contents of the beverage receptacle 206 is hot. The diameter of the housing 208 (not including the silicone sleeve 203) is approximately 80 mm.

Claims

1. A handheld beverage receptacle assembly comprising:a power base comprising a 360° base electrical connector part; anda handheld beverage receptacle for positioning on the power base, the handheld beverage receptacle comprising a housing comprising:a beverage heating chamber for receiving a beverage to be heated, wherein the diameter of the housing at its widest point is less than 100 mm;an electrical heater arranged to heat the contents of the beverage heating chamber to boiling;a 360° cordless electrical adapter part arranged to mate with the 360° base electrical connector part when the handheld beverage receptacle is positioned on the power base so as to receive a supply of electrical power for the heater; anda control arrangement configured to detect when a beverage within the beverage heating chamber reaches boiling and, in response, to switch off the electrical heater.

2. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of claim 1, wherein the control arrangement comprises:a temperature sensor arranged to detect a temperature within the beverage heating chamber; anda processor, a relay, and / or an electronic switch configured to switch off the electrical heater in response to a signal received from the temperature sensor indicating that a boiling temperature has been measured by the temperature sensor.

3. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of claim 1 or 2, wherein the power of the electrical heater is between 400 W and 700 W, e.g. between 500 W and 600 W, e.g. approximately 550 W.

4. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the electrical heater comprises a substrate and an electrically resistive track, wherein the electrically resistive track is deposited on the substrate.

5. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the overall power density of the electrical heater is between 7 W / cm2 and 18 W / cm2, e.g. between 9 W / cm2 and 15 W / cm2, e.g. between 12 W / cm2 and 14 W / cm2, e.g. approximately 13 W / cm2.

6. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the control arrangement comprises a thermally sensitive actuator configured to detect a temperature of the electrical heater and operable at a predetermined overheat temperature to interrupt the supply of electrical power to the electrical heater.

7. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of claim 6, wherein the control arrangement further comprises:an electrical power supply circuit for providing electrical power from the 360° cordless electrical adapter part to the electrical heater;a leaf spring arranged to open and close the electrical power supply circuit, the leaf spring comprising a fixed end and a moveable portion that is moveable relative to the fixed end between a closed position and an open position, wherein the leaf spring comprises a kink between the fixed end and the moveable portion; anda moveable electrical contact, mounted on the moveable portion of the leaf spring, mating with a corresponding fixed electrical contact in the electrical power supply circuit when the leaf spring is in the closed position;wherein the thermally sensitive actuator is arranged such that, when the thermally sensitive actuator operates at the predetermined overheat temperature, the thermally sensitive actuator moves the moveable portion of the leaf spring from the closed position to the open position in which the moveable electrical contact is separated from the fixed electrical contact to interrupt the electrical power supply circuit.

8. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the control arrangement comprises:a body on which the 360° cordless electrical adapter part is mounted; and a printed circuit board including at least one electronic component for controlling operation of the electrical heater;and wherein the printed circuit board is mounted to the body.

9. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of any preceding claim, wherein:the control arrangement comprises a printed circuit board including at least one electronic component for controlling operation of the electrical heater;the printed circuit board and the electrical heater are substantially planar; andthe printed circuit board is mounted within the housing such that the plane in which the printed circuit board extends is parallel to the plane of the electrical heater.

10. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of any preceding claim, wherein:the housing of the handheld beverage receptacle comprises a floor that is arranged to contact an upper surface of the power base when the handheld beverage receptacle is positioned on the power base;the handheld beverage receptacle comprises a control compartment defined between the base of the beverage heating chamber and the floor of the housing;the control arrangement is arranged within the control compartment; andthe ratio of the height of the control compartment to the height of the beverage heating chamber is between 1:10 and 1:3, e.g. between 1:7 and 1:4, e.g. approximately 1:5.

11. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of any preceding claim, wherein:the housing of the handheld beverage receptacle comprises a floor that is arranged to contact an upper surface of the power base when the handheld beverage receptacle is positioned on the power base;the handheld beverage receptacle comprises a control compartment defined between the base of the beverage heating chamber and the floor of the housing;the control arrangement is arranged within the control compartment; andthe height of the control compartment is between 20 mm and 40 mm, e.g. between 25 mm and 35 mm, e.g. approximately 30 mm.

12. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the diameter of the housing at its widest point is between 70 and 90 mm, e.g. approximately 80 mm.

13. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the handheld beverage receptacle further comprises a handle extending outwards from an outer surface of the housing.

14. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the volume of the beverage heating chamber is between 100 ml and 600 ml, e.g. between 300 ml and 500 ml, e.g. approximately 350 ml, 380 ml or 400 ml.

15. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of any preceding claim, wherein:the housing comprises an inner wall and an outer wall, wherein the inner wall defines the beverage heating chamber and wherein the outer wall surrounds the inner wall.

16. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of claim 15, wherein the housing comprises a vacuum between the inner wall and the outer wall.

17. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of claim 15 or 16, wherein the inner wall and the outer wall are made from stainless steel.

18. The handheld beverage receptacle of claim 15 or 16, wherein the inner wall is made from stainless steel and the outer wall is made from plastic.

19. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of claim or 15 or 16, wherein the inner wall is made from glass.

20. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of claim 19, wherein the outer wall comprises a window for viewing the contents of the beverage heating chamber through the glass inner wall.

21. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of claim 19 or 20, wherein the outer wall is made from glass.

22. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of claim 19 or 20, wherein the outer wall is made from plastic.

23. The handheld beverage receptacle assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the handheld beverage receptacle further comprises a silicone sleeve extending around at least a portion of an outer surface of the housing.

24. A handheld beverage receptacle for positioning on a corresponding power base, the handheld beverage receptacle comprising a housing comprising:a beverage heating chamber for receiving a beverage to be heated, wherein the diameter of the housing at its widest point is less than 100 mm;an electrical heater arranged to heat the contents of the beverage heating chamber to boiling;a 360° cordless electrical adapter part arranged to mate with a corresponding 360° base electrical connector part when the handheld beverage receptacle is positioned on a power base so as to receive a supply of electrical power for the heater; anda control arrangement configured to detect when a beverage within the beverage heating chamber reaches boiling and, in response, to switch off the electrical heater.

25. A handheld beverage receptacle assembly comprising:a power base comprising a 360° base electrical connector part; anda handheld beverage receptacle for positioning on the power base, the handheld beverage receptacle comprising a housing comprising:a beverage heating chamber for receiving a beverage to be heated;an electrical heater arranged to heat the contents of the beverage heating chamber, wherein the electrical heater is substantially planar; anda control compartment arranged below the beverage heating chamber, the control compartment including:a 360° cordless electrical adapter part arranged to mate with the 360° base electrical connector part when the handheld beverage receptacle ispositioned on the power base so as to receive a supply of electrical power for the heater; anda printed circuit board including at least one electronic component for controlling operation of the electrical heater, wherein the printed circuit board is substantially planar and is mounted within the control compartment such that the plane in which the printed circuit board extends is parallel to the plane of the electrical heater.

26. A handheld beverage receptacle for positioning on a corresponding power base, the handheld beverage receptacle comprising a housing comprising:a beverage heating chamber for receiving a beverage to be heated;an electrical heater arranged to heat the contents of the beverage heating chamber, wherein the electrical heater is substantially planar; anda control compartment arranged below the beverage heating chamber, the control compartment including:a 360° cordless electrical adapter part arranged to mate with a corresponding 360° base electrical connector part when the handheld beverage receptacle is positioned on a power base so as to receive a supply of electrical power for the heater; anda printed circuit board including at least one electronic component for controlling operation of the electrical heater, wherein the printed circuit board is substantially planar and is mounted within the control compartment such that the plane in which the printed circuit board extends is parallel to the plane of the electrical heater.s

Images