Heat warning devices directly applicable to hot surfaces

A heat warning safety device attachable to a surface, such as metal or glass, for warning individuals that the surface is hot, comprising:

• a thermochromic composition shaped in a predetermined symbol, the symbol having multiple segments, or in the background of such symbol, which symbol communicates that the surface is dangerously hot to a particular level, each segment except one communicating a different level of a degree to which the surface is dangerously hot and one segment communicating that the surface is not dangerously hot until a predetermined temperature of the surface is exceeded, all segments of the symbol except one substantially invisible against a background color of the surface and at least one segment of said symbol designed to undergo and maintain a readily perceptible color change so that said at least one segment is readily visible against said background color whenever and so long as the temperature of the surface exceeds the predetermined temperature, and a second segment of said symbol designed to undergo and maintain a readily perceptible color change so that said second segment is readily visible against said background color whenever and so long as the temperature of the surface exceeds a second predetermined temperature, said second predetermined temperature being higher than said predetermined temperature,
• the thermochromic composition capable of being applied as a liquid directly to the surface in the predetermined shape, capable of remaining on said surface in its predetermined shape in solid form, and capable of withstanding temperatures in excess of 500 degrees Fahrenheit,
• the thickness in solid form of said thermochromic composition being such that said thermochromic composition is either faintly visible or invisible when viewed from a line of light tangent to the surface by someone whose attention is not specifically directed to said thermochromic composition.

A heat warning safety device assembly attachable to multiple surfaces of an appliance, said assembly for warning individuals that one of more of the surfaces are hot, comprising:

• a plurality of heat alert warning devices including
• one or more devices of a first type attachable to a first surface of the appliance, said device of the first type comprising a thermochromic composition shaped in a predetermined symbol or in the background of such symbol which communicates that the surface is dangerously hot, the symbol substantially invisible against a background color of the surface and designed to undergo and maintain a readily perceptible color change so that the symbol is readily visible against said background color whenever and so long as the temperature of the surface exceeds a predetermined temperature,
• the thermochromic composition capable of being applied as a liquid directly to the surface in the predetermined shape, capable of remaining on said surface in its predetermined shape in solid form, and capable of withstanding temperatures in excess of 500 degrees Fahrenheit, the thickness in solid form of said thermochromic composition being such that said thermochromic composition is either faintly visible or invisible when viewed from a line of sight tangent to the first surface by someone whose attention is not specifically directed to said thermochromic composition, and
• one or more devices of a second type attachable to a second surface of the appliance, said device of the second type comprising a thermochromic composition shaped in a predetermined symbol or in the background of such symbol which communicates that the surface is dangerously hot, wherein an outline of the symbol is visible against a background color of the surface and a remainder of the symbol is substantially invisible against a background color of the surface, the remainder of the symbol designed to undergo and maintain a readily perceptible color change so that said remainder is readily visible against said background color whenever and so long as the temperature of the surface exceeds a predetermined temperature, the thermochromic composition capable of being applied as a liquid directly to the surface in the predetermined shape, capable of remaining on said surface in its predetermined shape in solid form, and capable of withstanding temperatures in excess of 500 degrees Fahrenheit, the thickness in solid form of the thermochromic composition being such that said thermochromic composition is either faintly visible or invisible when viewed from a line of sight tangent to the second surface by someone whose attention is not specifically directed to said thermochromic composition.

A heat warning safety device assembly attachable to multiple surfaces of an appliance, said assembly for warning individuals that one of more of the surfaces are hot, comprising:

• a plurality of heat alert warning devices including
• one or more devices of a first type attachable to a first surface of the appliance, said device
• of the first type comprising
• a thermochromic composition shaped in a predetermined symbol, the symbol having multiple segments, or in the background of such symbol, which symbol communicates that the first surface is dangerously hot to a particular level, each segment except one communicating a different level of a degree to which the first surface is dangerously hot and one segment communicating that the first surface is not dangerously hot until a predetermined temperature is exceeded, all segments of the symbol except one substantially invisible against a background color of the surface and at least one segment of said symbol designed to undergo and maintain a readily perceptible color change so that said at least one segment is readily visible against said background color whenever and so long as the temperature of the surface exceeds the predetermined temperature, and a second segment of said symbol designed to undergo and maintain a readily perceptible color change so that said second segment is readily visible against said background color whenever and so long as the temperature of the surface exceeds a second predetermined temperature, said second predetermined temperature being higher than said predetermined temperature,
• the thermochromic composition capable of being applied as a liquid directly to the surface in the predetermined shape, capable of remaining on said surface in its predetermined shape in solid form, and capable of withstanding temperatures in excess of 500 degrees Fahrenheit, the thickness in solid form of said thermochromic composition being such that said thermochromic composition is either faintly visible or invisible when viewed from a line of sight tangent to the first surface by someone whose attention is not specifically directed to said thermochromic composition, and
• one or more devices of a second type attachable to a second surface of the appliance, said device of the second type comprising a thermochromic composition shaped in a predetermined symbol or in the background of such symbol which communicates that the surface is dangerously hot, wherein an outline of the symbol is visible against a background color of the surface and a remainder of the symbol is substantially invisible against a background color of the surface, the remainder of the symbol designed to undergo and maintain a readily perceptible color change so that said remainder is readily visible against said background color whenever and so long as the temperature of the surface exceeds a predetermined temperature, the thermochromic composition capable of being applied as a liquid directly to the surface in the predetermined shape, capable of remaining on said surface in its predetermined shape in solid form, and capable of withstanding temperatures in excess of 500 degrees Fahrenheit, the thickness in solid form of the thermochromic composition being such that said thermochromic composition is either faintly visible or invisible when viewed from a line of sight tangent to the second surface by someone whose attention is not specifically directed to said thermochromic composition.

A heat warning safety device attachable to a cup or a lid of a cup or other container that holds a hot liquid, for advertising the temperature of the liquid, comprising:

• a thermochromic composition shaped in a predetermined symbol or in the background of such symbol which communicates that a top surface of the lid is dangerously hot, the symbol substantially invisible against a background color of the surface and designed to undergo and maintain a readily perceptible color change so that the symbol is readily visible against said background color whenever and so long as the temperature of the top surface of the lid exceeds a predetermined temperature, said predetermined temperature of the top surface of the lid calibrated to reflect a higher temperature of the liquid in the cup by taking into consideration an expected specified amount of heat dissipation between the liquid and the lid.
• the thermochromic composition capable of being applied as a liquid directly to the surface in the predetermined shape, capable of remaining on said surface in its predetermined shape in solid form, and capable of withstanding temperatures in excess of 500 degrees Fahrenheit,
• the thickness in solid form of said thermochromic composition being such that said thermochromic composition is either faintly visible or invisible when viewed from a line of light tangent to the surface by someone whose attention is not specifically directed to said thermochromic composition.