Thermal Receptacle for Obtaining a Consumable Temperature

Abstract

A reusable receptacle, and the method of producing the receptacle, for receiving liquid based substances, such as coffee, which rapidly cools the substance to obtain a consumable temperature and which substantially maintains a warm consumable temperature over a sufficient period of time. The receptacle includes a liquid receiving chamber, an interstitial chamber for receiving a phase change material and an interstitial chamber for providing a vacuum insulating chamber. The method of forming the receptacle includes the steps of welding the various wall members to form an integrated thermal mug in an efficient manufacturing process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A receptacle for receiving liquid-based substances for rapidly cooling the temperature of the substance to within a consumable temperature range and maintaining the temperature of the substance within the consumable temperature range for an extended period of time, the receptacle comprising:
 a tubular interior wall member having an open upper end;   a tubular medial wall member;   a tubular exterior wall member wherein said interior wall member is positioned within said medial wall member and said medial wall member is positioned with said exterior wall member;   said interior wall member having a longitudinal length greater than longitudinal lengths of said medial and exterior wall members wherein a portion of said interior wall member extends beyond said medial and exterior wall members;   a first interstitial chamber defined between said interior and medial wall members and a phase change material within at least a portion of said first interstitial chamber; and   a second interstitial chamber defined between said medial wall member and said exterior wall member wherein said second interstitial chamber includes insulating means.   
     
     
         2 . A receptacle according to  claim 1  wherein said portion of said interior wall member extending beyond said medial and exterior wall members defines a port for dispensing said substance. 
     
     
         3 . A receptacle according to  claim 2  wherein said port is a mating rim for cooperating with a drinking lid. 
     
     
         4 . A receptacle according to  claim 3  wherein said mating rim is threaded and said drinking lid includes a threaded portion for cooperating with the threaded rim of the receptacle. 
     
     
         5 . A receptacle according to  claim 1  further comprising a medial base member which is secured to a lower end of said tubular medial wall member and defining a bottom surface of said first interstitial chamber for housing said phase change material. 
     
     
         6 . A receptacle according to  claim 5  wherein said medial wall member and said medial base member are each formed of a material which are welded to one another. 
     
     
         7 . A receptacle according to  claim 6  wherein said medial wall member and said medial base member are formed of stainless steel. 
     
     
         8 . A receptacle according to  claim 1  further comprising an interior base member which is secured to a lower end of said tubular interior wall member and which define a liquid receiving chamber for receiving said liquid based substance. 
     
     
         9 . A receptacle according to  claim 1  wherein said interior wall member and said interior base member are each formed of stainless. 
     
     
         10 . A receptacle according to  claim 6  wherein said interior wall member and said medial wall member are formed of stainless steel and are welded to one another. 
     
     
         11 . A receptacle according to  claim 1  further comprising an exterior base member secured to a lower end of said tubular exterior wall member and which define said second interstitial chamber. 
     
     
         12 . A receptacle according to  claim 11  wherein said second interstitial chamber is a vacuum chamber for thermally insulating said receptacle. 
     
     
         13 . A receptacle according to  claim 11  wherein said exterior wall member and said exterior base member are each formed of a material which may be welded to one another. 
     
     
         14 . A receptacle according to  claim 11  wherein said exterior wall member and said exterior base member are formed of stainless steel. 
     
     
         15 . A receptacle according to  claim 1  further comprising a bottom cap integrally connected to said exterior base member and said exterior wall member. 
     
     
         16 . A receptacle according to  claim 1  wherein said interior, medial, and exterior wall members are each formed of the same material capable of being welded whereby said medial and exterior wall members are welded to an outer surface of said interior wall member. 
     
     
         17 . A receptacle according to  claim 16  wherein said material is stainless steel. 
     
     
         18 . A receptacle according to  claim 1  wherein said phase change material has an enthalpy of fusion greater than 145 kJ/kg and a melting temperature of between 110° F. and 160° F. 
     
     
         19 . A receptacle according to  claim 18  wherein said phase change material is paraffin wax. 
     
     
         20 . A receptacle for receiving liquid-based substances for rapidly cooling the temperature of the substance to within a consumable temperature range and maintaining the temperature of the substance within the consumable temperature range for an extended period of time, the receptacle comprising:
 an interior wall member having an open end for defining a liquid receiving receptacle;   a tubular medial wall member and a medial base member;   a tubular exterior wall member and an exterior base member wherein said interior wall member is positioned within said tubular medial wall member and said medial wall member is positioned with said tubular exterior wall member, wherein said interior, medial, and exterior wall members are each formed of the same material;   a first interstitial chamber defined between said interior wall member and interior base member and said medial wall member and medial base member and a phase change material within at least a portion of said first interstitial chamber; and   a second interstitial chamber defined between said medial wall and medial base member and said exterior wall member and exterior base member wherein said second interstitial chamber includes insulating means.   
     
     
         21 . A receptacle according to  claim 20  wherein said same material is a material capable to being welded whereby said wall members are welded together. 
     
     
         22 . A receptacle according to  claim 21  wherein said weldable material is stainless steel. 
     
     
         23 . A receptacle according to  claim 21  wherein said interior wall member has a longitudinal length which is greater than longitudinal lengths of said medial and exterior wall member wherein said interior wall member open upper end defines a port for dispensing said substance and wherein an upper end of said medial wall member is welded to an outer surface of said interior wall member. 
     
     
         24 . A receptacle according to  claim 23  wherein an upper end of said exterior wall member is welded to an outer surface of said interior wall member. 
     
     
         25 . A receptacle for receiving liquid-based substances for rapidly cooling the temperature of the substance to within a consumable temperature range and maintain the temperature of the substance within the consumable temperature range for an extended period of time, the receptacle comprising:
 an interior wall member having an open upper end and an interior base member for defining a liquid receiving receptacle;   a tubular medial wall member and a medial base member secured to a lower end thereof;   a tubular exterior wall member and an exterior base member secured to a lower end thereof wherein said interior wall member is positioned within said medial wall member and said medial wall member is positioned with said exterior wall member;   a first interstitial chamber defined between said inner and medial wall members and a phase change material within at least a portion of said first interstitial chamber wherein said phase change material has an enthalpy of fusion greater than 145 kJ/kg and a melting temperature of between 110° F. and 160° F.; and   a second interstitial chamber defined between said medial wall and said exterior wall wherein said second interstitial chamber includes insulating means.   
     
     
         26 . A receptacle according to  claim 25  wherein said phase change material is paraffin wax. 
     
     
         27 . A receptacle according to  claim 25  wherein said enthalpy of fusion is greater than 190 kJ/kg. 
     
     
         28 . A receptacle according to  claim 25  wherein said melting temperature is approximately between 130° F. and 150° F. 
     
     
         29 . A receptacle according to  claim 25  wherein said insulating means is a vacuum chamber. 
     
     
         30 . A method of making a receptacle for receiving liquid-based substances for rapidly cooling the temperature of the substance to within a consumable temperature range and maintaining the temperature of the substance to within the consumable temperature range for an extended period of time, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a tubular interior wall member having a longitudinal length and an open upper and an interior base member at a lower end thereof wherein said interior wall member and said interior base member define a liquid receiving receptacle;   providing a tubular medial wall member having a longitudinal length and an open upper and lower end;   inserting said interior wall member into said medial wall member and securing said open upper end of said medial wall member to said interior wall member so as to define a first interstitial chamber between said interior and medial wall members;   disposing a phase change material within at least a portion of said first interstitial chamber;   securing a medial base member to said lower end of said medial wall member;   providing a tubular exterior wall member having a longitudinal length and an open upper and lower end;   inserting said interior wall member and base member and said medial wall member and base member into said tubular exterior wall;   securing said exterior wall member to said secured interior and medial wall members so as to define a second interstitial chamber between said medial wall member and said exterior wall member; and   providing insulating means to said second interstitial chamber.   
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30  wherein said step of providing said interior base member to said interior wall member includes welding said interior base member to said interior wall member. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 30  wherein said step of securing said medial base member to said medial wall member includes welding said medial base member to said medial wall member. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 30  further including the stop of providing and exterior base member and securing said exterior base member to said exterior wall member. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 30  wherein said step of providing said interior wall member and medial wall members having longitudinal lengths includes providing the longitudinal length of said interior wall member greater than said longitudinal length of said medial wall member. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 34  wherein said step of securing said medial wall member to said interior wall member includes the step of welding said medial wall member to an outer surface of said interior wall member. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 34  wherein said step of securing said exterior wall member to said secured interior and medial wall members includes the step of welding said medial wall member to an outer surface of said interior wall member. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 30  wherein said step of insulating includes drawing a vacuum within said second interstitial chamber. 
     
     
         38 . A method of making a receptacle for receiving liquid-based substances for rapidly cooling the temperature of the substance to within a consumable temperature range and maintaining the temperature of the substance to within the consumable temperature range for an extended period of time, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing an interior wall member having a longitudinal length and an open upper and an interior base member wherein said interior wall member and said interior base member define a liquid receiving receptacle;   providing a medial wall member having a longitudinal length and an open upper end and a medial base member on a lower end wherein said interior wall member longitudinal length is greater than the medial wall member longitudinal length;   inserting said interior wall member into said medial wall member and securing said open upper end of said medial wall member to an outer circumferential surface said interior wall member so as to define a first interstitial chamber between said interior and medial wall members;   disposing a phase change material within at least a portion of said first interstitial chamber;   securing said medial member to said medial wall member lower end;   providing an exterior wall member having a longitudinal length less than said inner wall member longitudinal length and having an open upper end;   inserting said interior wall member and said medial wall member into said tubular exterior wall member and securing said open upper end of said external wall member to an outer surface of said secured medial and interior wall members so as to define a second interstitial chamber between said medial wall member and said exterior wall member; and   providing insulating means to said second interstitial chamber.   
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 38  wherein said step of securing said exterior wall member to said secured interior and medial wall members includes securing said exterior wall to an outer surface of said interior wall member. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 38  wherein said step of securing said medial wall member to said interior wall member includes welding the wall members to one another. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 39  wherein said step of securing said exterior wall member includes welding the exterior wall members to an outer surface of said interior wall member. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 38  further comprising the step of providing a base cap secured to said exterior base member and said exterior wall member. 
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 38  wherein said step of providing insulating means to said second interstitial chamber includes the step of drawing a vacuum within said second interstitial chamber.