Thermoelectrically heated/cooled cupholder system
AssigneeRobin Contino
InventorChris Schafer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for retaining and controlling the temperature of a beverage, suitable for installation in an automobile, includes a generally cylindrical, open-topped heat-conductive expandable cupholder, a heat-conductive liner, one or more thermoelectric devices located on a vertical exterior side of the cupholder, a heat sink contacting the thermoelectric device and thermally insulated from the cupholder; and a switch. The placement of the thermoelectric device and an improved arrangement for contact between the cupholder and the cup enable more efficient heat transfer.
Claims16
A system for retaining and controlling the temperature of a beverage, comprising:
- a generally cylindrical, open-topped heat-conductive cupholder for contacting and supporting the beverage in a container disposed on an interior thereof;
- a heat-conductive liner for providing a substantially continuous containment surface disposed within the cupholder and interposed between the cupholder and the beverage container;
- a thermoelectric device disposed on a vertical exterior side of the cupholder and connected to a power source for powering the thermoelectric device;
- a heat sink contacting the thermoelectric device and thermally insulated from the cupholder;
- and
- a switch for selectively actuating and deactuating the thermoelectric device to heat or to cool the cupholder.
A cupholder system for an automobile, comprising:
- a frame mounted within a console of the automobile and accessible from a passenger seat within the automobile;
- a cupholder mounted within the frame, the cupholder being generally cylindrical and formed of a heat-conductive material and including a heat-conductive liner therein;
- at least one thermoelectric device mounted upon and contacting an outside vertical wall of the cupholder, the thermoelectric device being connected to a power supply within the automobile;
- a finned heat sink attached to each of the at least one thermoelectric device and disposed about and thermally isolated from the cupholder;
- and
- a switch for selectively actuating the thermoelectric device to alter the temperature of the cupholder to cool or heat a beverage container placed on the interior of said cupholder.
A system for retaining and controlling the temperature of a beverage, comprising:
- a generally cylindrical, open-topped heat-conductive cupholder for contacting and supporting the beverage in a container disposed on an interior thereof, the cupholder being mounted to a frame and expandable and contractable to accommodate beverage containers of different sizes while maintaining substantially full-face contact between the cupholder and the beverage container;
- a heat-conductive liner disposed win the cupholder and interposed between the cupholder and the beverage container, the liner being expandable and contractable with the cupholder;
- a thermoelectric device disposed on a vertical exterior side of the cupholder and connected to a power source for powering the thermoelectric device;
- a heat sink contacting the thermoelectric device and thermally insulated from the cupholder;
- a switch for selectively actuating and deactuating the thermoelectric device to heat or to cool the beverage according to a selected position of the switch;
- a fan for drawing ambient air across the heat sink;
- and
- a plurality of vents within the frame for permitting the ambient air to be introduced into the interior of the frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.