Thermostatic Cup with Modular Heating and Swappable Battery Base
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage heating and cooling cups fail to maintain a stable, consumer-friendly liquid temperature for extended periods due to limited insulation and increased weight and complexity from integrated heaters and batteries, which also pose challenges in cleaning and portability.
Innovation Solution
A thermostatic cup structure with a separable and interchangeable heating module and base unit, utilizing a compressive connection system for secure assembly and efficient heat transfer, along with a control circuit for temperature management, allowing for easy cleaning and charging, and accommodating different cup designs for both right- and left-handed users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If heaters and batteries are integrated into the cup to maintain temperature for extended periods, then the temperature maintenance duration is improved, but the cup weight increases and portability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is divided into separate components: a reusable cup body and interchangeable heating modules. The heating module contains the battery and heater, while the cup body remains lightweight. This segmentation allows users to carry only the lightweight cup body and attach heating modules only when needed, resolving the contradiction between extended temperature maintenance and portability.
2Ease of operation
If magnetic connections are used to hold the heater element and cup together, then the ease of assembly is improved, but the connection strength deteriorates causing easy separation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines magnetic attraction with mechanical interlocking features. The heating module and cup body have complementary geometric shapes with protrusions and recesses that physically interlock, while magnets provide additional holding force. This merged approach maintains ease of assembly through magnetic attraction while achieving strong, secure connections that prevent accidental separation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the base unit and heating module are permanently connected, then the structural stability is improved, but the ease of cleaning and charging deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into three separable components: a base unit, a heating module, and a cup body. The heating module can be detached from both the base unit and cup body, allowing users to easily clean each component separately and charge the battery in the heating module or base unit independently while maintaining structural stability when assembled.
4Strength
If magnetic forces are made stronger to prevent separation, then the connection strength is improved, but the power usage increases due to inefficient heating methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces strong magnetic connections with a mechanical interlocking system featuring geometric protrusions and recesses that physically secure the heating module to the cup body. This mechanical substitution eliminates the need for strong magnets, maintaining connection strength while avoiding the high power consumption associated with magnetic induction heating methods.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures stable temperature maintenance for extended periods, enhances portability, and extends product lifespan by allowing easy replacement and charging of components, while ensuring secure operation and compatibility with various cup types.
Implementation Method 1
The battery power of the base unit is transmitted to the heating plate via a circular conductive plate of the heating module, allowing the heating plate to generate heat to heat the liquid in the cup body
Implementation Method 2
enable electrical connection between a battery, thru a control circuit board
Data Source
AI summary
A thermostatic cup structure that includes a cup body, a heating module and a base unit. The cup body is selectively attachable to the heating module and base unit. The base unit and heating module are structured such that they can accommodate cup bodies with different structures such as mugs, tumblers, and thermoses. Heating of the liquid within the cup body is powered by a swappable and rechargeable battery, contained in the base unit, that is connected to a heat plate through a conductive column. The ability to charge multiple base units anywhere USB-c power/adapters are available, and the fact that these base units are interchangeable with multiple variants of mugs (and can include thermoses, etc.) make this product unique in the market.