Portable heating rod

Provided is a portable heating rod for heating a beverage in a container and a method of using the same. The portable heating rod comprises a handle portion and a heating portion coupled to the handle portion along a longitudinal direction. The handle portion includes a first housing made of a heat insulating material, a control interface, a control circuit board and a power source within the first housing. The heating portion includes a second housing made of a heat conductive material, at least one heating element and at least one temperature sensor. During operation, the heating portion of the portable heating rod is at least partly immersed in the beverage.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure generally relates to a portable heating device and, in particular, to an immersion heating rod with inbuilt battery.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is a constant need for hot, warm or cool water or beverage for outdoor use. For instance, a mother may need hot or warm water to brew milk or to warm up breast milk kept in cold storage for feeding a baby; an outdoorsman may need hot or warm water to brew coffee or to cook instant noodles. A traditional solution to this problem is to bring hot water in a vacuum container. However, the vacuum container adds weight to package and the hot water will cool down in a few hours. Hence, it is desirable to have a portable heater that is compact, lightweight and easy to use.

As a portable heater for outdoor use, it is usually necessary to incorporate a power source, because an external power supply is usually not available. A traditional solution is a portable cooker using fuel gas. However, such portable cooker and fuel gas are inconvenient to carry or use. A power source such as a battery is more convenient to use compared with a fuel gas. However, the battery usually takes up a lot of space, making the heater bulk Another issue for a portable heater with battery is safety. A battery should generally be kept away from a heater to avoid the possible risk of explosion. This increases the difficulty of integrating a battery into a portable heater.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A need therefore exists for a portable heater that eliminates or diminishes at least some of the disadvantages and problems described above.

In certain embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a portable heating rod for heating a beverage in a container, the portable heating rod comprises a handle portion and a heating portion coupled to the handle portion along a longitudinal direction, the handle portion includes a first housing made of a heat insulating material; a control interface; and a control circuit board, the heating portion includes a second housing made of a heat conductive material; a power source within the second housing; at least one heating element and at least one temperature sensor, wherein the control circuit board is in electrical communication with the control interface, the power source, the at least one heating element and the at least one temperature sensor, such that control signals from the control interface can be transmitted to control the at least one heating element, and temperature signals from the at least one temperature sensor can be transmitted to be displayed at the control interface, wherein during operation, the heating portion of the portable heating rod is at least partly immersed in the beverage.

In certain embodiments, the handle portion further includes a power interface in electrical communication with the control circuit, such that the power source can be driven or rechargeable by an external power source through the power interface.

In certain embodiments, the control interface is a touch screen.

In certain embodiments, the heating portion further includes at least one heat insulator for insulating the at least one heating element from the at least one temperature sensor and/or the power source.

In certain embodiments, the at least one heat insulator is disposed at the proximal end and/or the distal end of the at least one heating element along the longitudinal direction.

In certain embodiments, the heating portion further includes at least one heat conductor for transferring heat from the at least one heating element to the second housing.

In certain embodiments, the at least one heat conductor is disposed around the at least one heating element and between the at least one heating element and the second housing.

In certain embodiments, the heating portion comprises a first one or more temperature sensor adjacent the at least one heating element.

In certain embodiments, the heating portion comprises a second one or more temperature sensor at the distal end of and in contact with the second housing.

In certain embodiments, the at least one heating element, the at least one heat insulator and the at least one heat conductor are disposed near the distal end of the heating portion, and the power source is disposed proximal to the at least one heating element, the at least one heat insulator and the at least one heat conductor.

In certain embodiments, the portable heating rod further comprises an engaging means for securing the portable heating rod to the container.

In certain embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method of heating a beverage in a container with the aforementioned portable heating rod, the method comprises the steps of: turning on the portable heating rod by interacting with the control interface in a first pattern; measuring a beverage temperature and displaying the measured beverage temperature at the control interface; activating a heating mode where the at least one heating element heats up the beverage by interacting with the control interface in a second pattern; deactivating the heating mode and activating a warm-keeping mode where the at least one heating element keeps the beverage at a temperature by interacting with the control interface in a third pattern; and turning off the portable heating rod by interacting with the control interface in a fourth pattern.

In certain embodiments, the control interface displays different colors in accordance with different measured beverage temperatures.

In certain embodiments, the method further comprises the step of recording a user customized temperature as warm-keeping temperature by interacting with the control interface in a fifth pattern, such that when the beverage is heated up to the warm-keeping temperature, the portable heating rod is switched automatically from the heating mode to the warm-keeping mode.

In certain embodiments, the first pattern, the second pattern, the third pattern, the fourth pattern and the fifth pattern are selected from a group consisting of short tapping for once, short tapping for twice, short tapping for more than twice, long tapping for a period of 1 second, long tapping for a period of 2 seconds, long tapping for a period of 3 seconds, and long tapping for a period of more than 3 seconds.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure is generally directed towards a portable heating rod for heating or warming beverage. The principles of the present disclosure, however, are not limited to such use. It will be understood that, in light of the present disclosure, the portable heating rod disclosed herein can also be successfully used, for example, for other heating or warming purposes, such as warming hands and other body parts. The portable heating rod disclosed herein, with a replacing cooling element, can also be successfully used, for example, for cooling purposes.

Additionally, to assist in the description of the structural configuration, words such as longitudinal, proximal, distal, top, bottom and the like are used. A proximal or top end is the upper end when the portable heating rod is being used in an upright position, while the distal or bottom end is the lower end when the portable heating rod is being used in the upright position. Unless their contextual usage indicates otherwise, these words are to be understood herein as having no structural, functional or operational significance and as merely reflecting the arbitrarily chosen orientation.

Structural Configuration

As shown inFIG. 1, the portable heating rod1of the present disclosure generally has a two-part form, comprising a handle portion2and a heating portion3. Each of the two portions has a tubular shape, so they together form a rod. It is not necessary for the rod to have a consistent diameter along its longitudinal axis. In certain embodiments, the handle portion2may have a larger diameter than the heating portion3. Other suitable shapes and configurations of the portable heating rod1are also within the contemplation of the present disclosure. The portable heating rod1is sized such that it is suitable for being placed in a container filled with liquid, with the heating portion3at least partly immersed in the liquid and the handle portion2accessible to a user. Such liquid can be a beverage, such as, milk particularly milk for babies brewed from milk powder or breast milk, coffee, tea or any other beverage that needs to be heated prior to consumption. Such container can be a feeding bottle, a cup, a glass, a teapot or any other portable containers. In certain embodiments, the portable heating rod1has an outer diameter of 10 mm to 50 mm, 15 mm to 45 mm, 20 mm to 40 mm, or 25 mm to 35 mm, particularly 12 mm, 14 mm, 16 mm, 18 mm, 22 mm, 24 mm, 26 mm, 28 mm, 30 mm, 32 mm, 34 mm, 36 mm, 38 mm, 42 mm, 44 mm, 46 mm or 48 mm. In certain embodiments, the portable heating rod1has a length of 50 mm to 300 mm, 60 mm to 290 mm, 70 mm to 280 mm, 80 mm to 270 mm, 90 mm to 260 mm, 100 mm to 250 mm, 110 mm to 240 mm, 120 mm to 230 mm, 130 mm to 220 mm, 140 mm to 210 mm, 150 mm to 200 mm, 160 mm to 190 mm, or 170 mm to 180 mm, particularly 55 mm, 65 mm, 75 mm, 85 mm, 95 mm, 105 mm, 115 mm, 125 mm, 135 mm, 145 mm, 155 mm, 165 mm, 175 mm, 185 mm, 195 mm, 205 mm, 215 mm, 225 mm, 235 mm, 245 mm, 255 mm, 265 mm, 275 mm, 285 mm, or 295 mm. In certain embodiments, the ratio between the length of the handle portion2and the length of the heating portion3is 1:10, 1:9; 1:8, 1:7, 1:6, 1:5, 1:4, 1:3, or 1:2.

The handle portion2comprises a first housing21that is made from a heat insulating material. In certain embodiments, the first housing21of the handle portion2is made from plastic, ceramic or a combination thereof. The heating portion3comprises a second housing31that is made from a heat conductive material. The heat conductive material must also be a food grade material, meaning the material does not contaminate food with harmful materials on coming in direct contact or lying nearby. In certain embodiments, the second housing31of the heating portion3is made from Titanium, stainless steel or a combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the second housing31is formed as one integral piece.

The handle portion2and the heating portion3are coupled to each other as shown inFIG. 2. In certain embodiments, the handle portion2can be clamped, snap-fit, screwed, glued, thermally bonded or coupled by any other means known in the art to the heating portion3. In certain embodiments, the handle portion2is coupled to the heating portion3in a watertight manner, so that liquid or vapor cannot get into the internal space of the handle portion2or the heating portion3through the interface therebetween. In certain embodiments, a distal end of the first housing21of the handle portion2is coupled onto a proximal end of the second housing31of the heating portion3. A seal can be provided therebetween. The seal can be a seal ring, a labyrinth seal, a contact seal, or any other type of seal known in the art.

The first housing21of the handle portion2defines an internal space and various components of the portable heating rod1can be disposed on or within the first housing21. In certain embodiments, the handle portion2can further comprise a control interface22at the first housing21of the handle portion2. In certain embodiments, the control interface22is a touch screen that can be provided at the proximal end or on the top end of the first housing21of the handle portion2. The touch screen22receives a user's control signals and displays control information on the touch screen22. In certain embodiments, the control interface22can provide an ordinary screen and physical buttons or switches. Still in certain embodiments, the first housing21of the handle portion2itself may serve as a control interface22to receive a user's instructions, for instance, by rotating (clockwise and/or counterclockwise) and/or translating (proximally and/or distally) the first housing21relative to the second housing31.

In certain embodiments, the handle portion2can further comprise a power interface23at the first housing21. In certain embodiments, the power interface23is a USB, mini-USB, micro-USB, USB Type-C, Lightening, Thunderbolt, pin or any other power interface known in the art. The power interface23receives power input from an external power source (not shown), such as an AC power source, a DC power source, a charger, a power bank, or any other power source that is known in the art. In certain embodiments, the power interface23has a sealing means25to prevent dusts, liquid, vapor or any other undesired contaminant from getting into the power interface23and the internal space of the handle portion2. In certain embodiments, the sealing means25can be detached from the power interface23while the power interface23is connected to air external device, and re-attached to and seal the power interface23after the connection is disconnected.

In certain embodiments, the power interface23can also serve as a data interface. The date interface23allows data communication of the portable heating rod1with an external computing device (not shown), such as a personal computer, a laptop, a cell phone, or any other computing device known in the art. This data communication can allow, for instance, updating the software or firmware of the portable heating rod1, downloading user configured profiles, or uploading analytics, diagnostics and usage information. In certain embodiments, the data interface is different from the power interface23. For example, the data interface can be a wireless interface, such as, Bluetooth, ZigBee, NFC, or any other protocols known in the art.

In certain embodiments, the handle portion2can further comprise a control circuit board24within the first housing21. The control circuit board24is configured to be in electrical communication with the control interface22, the power interface23, and the data interface if any. In certain embodiments, the control circuit board24receives control signals from the control interface22, interprets and relays such control signals to other appropriate components of the portable heating rod1, such as a heating element discussed herein; the control circuit board24further feeds control information, such as, operation mode, power source status, temperature, back to the control interface22for display. In certain embodiments, the control circuit board24receives power input from the power interface23, transforms if necessary and relays such power input to other appropriate components of the portable heating rod1, such as a battery discussed herein. In certain embodiments, the control circuit board24receives data input from the data interface, interprets and relays such data to other appropriate components of the portable heating rod1, such as the control interface22discussed herein. In certain embodiments, the control circuit board24comprises a memory (not shown) for storage of firmware, software, user profiles, user instructions and/or any other suitable data.

The second housing31of the heating portion3defines an internal space and various components of the portable heating rod1can be disposed on or within the second housing31. In certain embodiments, the heating portion3can further comprise at least one heating element32within the second housing31of the heating portion3. The at least one heating element32is disposed at the proximity of the distal end of the heating portion3. This has the advantage that when the portable heating rod1is immersed in the beverage of a container, the at least one heating element32is likely to be below the water level of the beverage, whether the container is full, half full or even less. It also has the advantage of leaving a large internal space at the proximal portion of the second housing for other use, such as for accommodating a battery. In certain embodiments, the at least one heating element32is a resistance heater, an electromagnetic heater, an infrared heater, or any other types of heater known in the art. In certain embodiments, the at least one heating element32is a cooler, such as a Peltier element. In certain embodiments, the at least one heating element32is heat insulated along the longitudinal direction. This can be provided by at least one heat insulator33placed at the proximal end and/or the distal end of the at least one heating element32. The at least one heat insulator33can extend across substantially the entire cross-section of the internal space of the second housing. The at least one heat insulator33reduces or prevents heat transfer from the at least one heating element32along the longitudinal direction, proximally and/or distally. In certain embodiments, the at least one heating element32is in thermal communication with the second housing31in the transverse direction. The thermal communication is provided by at least one heat conductor34around substantially the entire circumference of the at least one heating element32and between the second housing31and the at least one heating element32. In certain embodiments as shown inFIG. 3, the at least one heat conductor34fills the entire space between the at least one heat insulator33at the proximal end of the at least one heating element32and the at least one heat insulator33at the distal end of the at least one heating element32within the second housing. The at least one heat conductor34facilitates or enhances heat transfer from the at least one heating element32to the second housing31of the heating portion3transversely. As such, a preferential heat transfer pathway is established transversely. A significant portion of heat generated by the at least one heating element32is transferred to the part of the second housing31of the heating portion3at the same longitudinal position with the at least one heating element32. This part of the second housing31has the highest temperature (i.e. the most heat) and is in direct contact with beverage of a container to heat the beverage. A portion of heat is also transferred along the second housing31from the part of the second housing31at the same longitudinal position with the at least one heating element32, both proximally and distally, to the remaining parts of the second housing31. As most of the remaining part of the second housing31is also in direct contact with the beverage of the container, the heat will be transferred to heat up the beverage. On the other hand, only a very small or negligible portion of heat generated by the at least one heating element32is transferred within the second housing31along the longitudinal direction, such that the impact of heat from the at least one heating element32to components within the second housing31proximal or distal to the at least one heating element32(e.g. the battery and the temperature sensor as discussed herein) can be minimized. In this way, the battery remains at a safe-to-operate temperature even it is incorporated in the portable heating rod1of the present disclosure. A compact portable heating rod1with inbuilt battery is therefore possible without having a safety issue. Likewise, the measurement of the temperature sensor is not directly affected by heat from the at least one heating element and thus a more accurate measurement of beverage temperature can be obtained.

The at least one heat insulator33can be a foam material, a glass fiber, a aerogel blanket, a vacuum plate, any other heat insulating material or structure known in the art, or a combination thereof. The at least one heat conductor34can be a metal, a graphene, a silicone grease, a cooling oil, any other heat conducting material or structure known in the art, or a combination thereof.

In certain embodiments, the second housing31is formed from at least two different materials. The part of the second housing31at the same longitudinal position with the at least one heating element32is made of a heat conductive material, while the remaining parts of the second housing31is made of a heat insulation material.

In certain embodiments, the heating portion3can further comprise a power source35. The power source35is in electrical communication with the control circuit board24of the handle portion2, such that power input from an external power source through the power interface23can be used to drive or charge the power source35. A majority or the whole of the power source35is accommodated within the second housing31proximal to the at least one heating element32. In certain embodiments, the power source35has a rod shape and a cross-sectional dimension slightly smaller than that of the internal space defined by the second housing31, so that the power source35can take up most internal space within the second housing31proximal to the at least one heating element32. A larger power source usually means a larger power capacity and longer use time for the portable heating rod1. By incorporating the power source35into second housing31, the present disclosure is able to provide a very compact portable heating rod1. However, other shapes and dimensions of the power source35are also within the contemplation of the present disclosure. As discussed earlier, the at least one heat insulator33reduces or prevents heat transfer from the at least one heating element32along the longitudinal direction proximally. As such, the power source35is heat insulated from the at least one heating element32by the at least one heat insulator33. These add to the safety of the power source35even it is placed near the at least one heating element32and may be partly below the water level of the beverage being heated. In certain embodiments, additional heat insulators (not shown) can be provided to heat insulate the power source35from the surrounding part of the second housing31. In certain embodiments, the additional heat insulators enclose the power source35along a substantial or entire length of the power source35in the longitudinal direction to isolate it from heat.

The power source35can be a replaceable battery, such as a AA or AAA battery, or a rechargeable battery, such as a Ni—Cd rechargeable battery, a Ni-MH rechargeable battery, a Li-ion rechargeable battery, a Li-polymer rechargeable battery, or any other type of rechargeable battery known in the art. In certain embodiments, the power source35is a specifically designed LiHV rechargeable battery. The rechargeable battery35is configured to be stable in spite of the heat generated by the at least one heating element32, the rechargeable battery35itself and any other power consuming elements of the portable heating rod1. In certain embodiments, the rechargeable battery35is provided with a protection means (not shown) to cut off the power when there is any short circuit and/or when the battery35has reached an unsafe temperature or status. In certain embodiments, the protection means can be integrated with the control circuit board24.

In certain embodiments, the heating portion3can further comprise at least one temperature sensor36. The at least one temperature sensor36is in electrical communication with the control circuit board24of the handle portion2, such that the measured temperature can be communicated to the control circuit board24for feedback control. In certain embodiments, a first one or more temperature sensor36of the at least one temperature sensor36can be provided adjacent to the at least one heating element32to monitor the temperature of the at least one heating element32. For instance, the first one or more temperature sensor36can be embedded in the at least one heat conductor34as shown inFIG. 3. In certain embodiments, a second one or more temperature sensor36of the at least one temperature sensor36can be provided to monitor the temperature of the beverage being heated, or the temperature of the second housing31which is presumed to be the temperature of the beverage being heated. The second one or more temperature sensor36can be disposed, for instance, at the distal end or on the bottom) of the second housing31, along the second housing31in the longitudinal direction, or a combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the second one or more temperature sensor36are within and in direct contact with the second housing31, embedded in the at least one heat insulator36at the distal end of the second housing31as shown inFIG. 3, or the second one or more temperature sensor36can at least partly protrude out of the second housing31. As discussed earlier, the at least one heat insulator33reduces or prevents heat transfer from the at least one heating element32along the longitudinal direction distally. As such, the at least one temperature sensor36is heat insulated from the at least one heating element32by the at least one heat insulator33, and the measurement is not directly affected.

In certain embodiments, the portable heating rod1can be placed within a container and rests toward a rim of the container. Alternatively, the heating portion3can further comprise an engaging means5. The engaging means5helps secure the portable heating rod1to the container6with beverage. This is especially helpful where it is desirable to avoid direct contact between the container6and the second housing31of the heating portion3, e.g. where the container6is made of a plastic having a relatively low melting point. The engaging means5can be a part of the first housing21or can be removably coupled to the portable heating rod1and to the container6. In certain embodiments, the engaging means5is a disc that can rest on the bottleneck of the container5and has a center opening for hanging the portable heating rod1therethrough into the beverage7, as shown inFIG. 4. As the handle portion2can have a larger diameter than the heating portion3of the portable heating rod1, the opening of the disk5is sized to hold the handle portion2. The engaging means5can also be, for example, a clip, a magnetic piece, a hanger, or any other means known in the art.

Operating Method

The control circuit board24and the control interface22of the portable heating rod1are configured to provide an easy-to-operate user interface. The control interface22, particularly the touch screen4as shown inFIG. 5, allows a user to control the portable heating rod1, such as, by tapping (e.g. short tapping and long tapping) and/or gestures (e.g. single-point sliding and multi-point sliding). A short tapping is generally a tapping on the touch screen4for less than 1 second, while a long tapping is a tapping on the touch screen4for more than or equal to 1 second. The short tapping can be further differentiated into tapping for once, twice (i.e. double-click), three times, or four or more times. The long tapping can be further differentiated into tapping for 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, or 4 or more seconds. The control interface22, particularly the touch screen4, also allows a user to monitor the status of the portable heating rod1, such as, the temperature of the beverage being heated, the operation mode of the portable heating rod1(e.g. heating mode or warm keeping mode), the remaining capacity of the battery, whether the battery is being charged, or a combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the touch screen4may also display different background colors in accordance with the measured temperature of the beverage. For instance, the touch screen4can display a blue background color for a temperature of <35° C.; a green background color for a temperature of 36° C.˜45° C.; a yellow background color for a temperature of 46° C.˜70° C.; an orange background color for a temperature of 71° C.˜85° C.; and a red background color for a temperature of >86° C. Other color patterns are also within the contemplation of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, the touch screen4may also display indications of possible operations, such as, “touch to heat up”, “touch to keep warm”, or any other similar kinds of indications. In certain embodiments, an audio feedback can also be provided in addition to the visual feedback.

In certain embodiments, the control circuit board24enables a user to turn on the portable heating rod1as shown inFIG. 5(a)by a short tapping on the touch screen4for twice. A beverage temperature can be measured and displayed on the touch screen4. The control circuit board24further enables a user to start a heating mode43as shown inFIG. 5(b)by a short tapping on the touch screen4for once, to switch to a warm-keeping mode44as shown inFIG. 5(c)at the instant temperature by a further short tapping on the touch screen4for once, and to turn off the portable heating rod1as shown inFIG. 5(d)by a long tapping on the touch screen44for three seconds. Other control patterns and sequences are also within the contemplation of the present disclosure.

In certain embodiments, the control circuit board24enables the portable heating rod1to memorize a customized beverage temperature. For instance, this customized beverage temperature can be recoded into the memory of the control circuit board24by a long tapping on the touch screen4for one second while the portable heating rod1is in the warm-keeping mode44. Likewise, by long tapping on the touch screen4a second time for one second, the customized beverage temperature can be cancelled. Once the customized beverage temperature is set, the portable heating rod1can heat up the beverage to the temperature in a heating mode43and then automatically switch to the warm-keeping mode44in future operations. This customized beverage temperature can save a user from monitoring the operation of the portable heating rod1. This is particularly important for heating breast milk, because overheating may destroy IgG and/or other nutrients therein.

In certain embodiments, the control circuit board24enables downloading user configured profiles or remote control through the data interface23by a smart phone or other similar device.

In certain embodiments, the control circuit board24further enables the portable heating rod1to detect burning in an empty state (burning state), e.g. when the portable heating rod1is turned on and the at least one heating element32is activated accidentally without the heating portion3being immersed in a beverage, or when the heating portion3of the portable heating rod1is not sufficiently immersed in a beverage, or when the beverage has been heated and dried to expose a substantial part of the heating portion3of the portable heating rod1. This burning state can be detected with the aid of the first one or more temperature sensor36of the at least one temperature sensor36alone or together with the second one or more temperature sensor36of the at least one temperature sensor36. For instance, the burning state can be detected if the first one or more temperature sensor36has measured a quick increase in temperature of the at least one heating element32. This indicates the heat generated by the at least one heating element32is not promptly dissipated. Alternatively, the burning state can be detected if the difference between the temperature measured by the first one or more temperature sensor36and the temperature measured by the second one or more temperature sensor36has exceeded a threshold value. Upon detection of the burning state, the control circuit board24is configured to turn off the portable heating rod1instantly. Optionally, the control circuit board24is also configured to send out visual and/or audio warning.

In certain embodiments, the control circuit board24is configured to lower the battery output voltage used to drive the at least one heating element32in the warm-keeping mode, to enable energy saving.

One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate after reviewing this disclosure that the portable heating rod1may have other suitable shapes, sizes, configurations and arrangements. Although the present disclosure has been described in terms of certain embodiments, other embodiments apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art are also within the scope of this invention. According the scope of the invention is intended to be defined only by the claims which follow.