Thermal seat and thermal device dispensing and vending system employing RFID-based induction heating devices
AssigneeThermal Solutions, Inc.
InventorBrian L. Clothier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An RFID-based induction heating/vending system for quickly and efficiently heating, vending, and recollecting stadium seats (10) or other objects. The system includes a plurality of objects each including an induction-heatable body (22), a charging/vending station (12) for heating and vending the objects; a self-serve warming station (14) that may be used by consumers to reheat their objects; and a check-out station (16) that automatically collects objects from consumers after use.
Claims13
A method of vending thermal seats, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of thermal seats, each seat having an RFID tag associated therewith, and each seat including —
- an induction-heatable body including a plurality of discrete induction-heatable elements, each including graphite material, and heat retentive synthetic resin material located adjacent the elements and operable to serve as a heat sink upon magnetic induction heating of the elements, the elements characterized by the property of substantially simultaneous heating thereof by an externally applied magnetic field, and
- a cover surrounding the body and including a cushioning component over the body and presenting a seating surfaces;
- heating one of the seats for a customer;
- storing customer-specific information in the RFID tag of the seat;
- and
- providing a check-out station for return of the seat after the customer's use thereof, the station including a seat-receiving housing and an RFID tag reader operable to obtain information from the RFID tag when the customer deposits the seat in the housing and, in response to the obtainment of information, generating a receipt for the customer confirming return of the seat.
A system for heating, vending, and collecting thermal seats, the system comprising:
- a plurality of magnetic induction-heatable thermal seats, each of the thermal seats including —
- an induction-heatable body including a plurality of discrete induction-heatable elements, each including graphite material, and heat retentive synthetic resin material located adjacent the elements and operable to serve as a heat sink upon magnetic induction heating of the elements, the elements characterized by the property of substantially simultaneous heating thereof by an externally applied magnetic field, and
- a cover surrounding the body and including a cushioning component over the body and presenting a seating surface;
- a charging/vending station for heating and vending the thermal seats;
- and
- a check-out station for collecting the thermal seats after they have been used by consumers.
A method of vending thermal seats, the method comprising the steps of:
- placing a thermal seat having an RFID tag associated therewith on a magnetic induction heater, wherein each of the seats includes —
- an induction-heatable body including a plurality of discrete induction-heatable elements, each including graphite material, and heat retentive synthetic resin material located adjacent the elements and operable to serve as a heat sink upon magnetic induction heating of the elements, the elements characterized by the property of substantially simultaneous heating thereof by an externally applied magnetic field, and
- a cover surrounding the body and including a cushioning component over the body and presenting a seating surface;
- reading the RFID tag with an RFID tag reader associated with the heater;
- heating the seat based at least partially upon information read from the RFID tag;
- writing customer information onto the RFID tag with the RFID tag reader;
- and
- removing the thermal seat from the magnetic induction heater and giving it to a consumer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.