Thermal Liquid Container Having Liquid Level Indicator
A container for holding liquids. The container has a body having an interior for holding a liquid, an exterior surface, and an upper portion defining a central opening and a spout. A handle is attached to the body at a first predetermined location. A liquid level indicator is attached to the body at a second predetermined location that is a predetermined distance from the first predetermined location. The liquid level indicator has a liquid passageway therethrough which is in fluid communication with the interior of the body. The liquid level indicator has a first end attached to the body, a second end attached to the body, and a substantially transparent portion between the first and second ends. The substantially transparent portion is spaced apart from the exterior surface of the body by a predetermined distance. In one embodiment, the body has a generally circular shape and the liquid level indicator is about 90° from the handle.
This application is a continuation of prior U.S. application Ser. No. 11/639,448, filed Dec. 15, 2006. The entire disclosure of the aforesaid U.S. application Ser. No. 11/639,448 is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a thermal, liquid container.
2. Description of the Related Art
Thermal liquid containers, such as thermal carafes, thermoses, or thermal beverage containers, are known in the art. Thermal carafes are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,968,618 and 6,505,752. Such thermal liquid containers maintain the temperature of liquids contained therein for a predetermined amount of time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved thermal liquid container. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the ensuing description. Thus, the present invention is directed to, in one aspect, a container for holding liquids. The container comprises a body having an interior for holding a liquid, an exterior surface, and an upper portion defining a central opening and a spout. A handle is attached to the body at a first predetermined location. A liquid level indicator is attached to the body at a second predetermined location that is a predetermined distance from the first predetermined location. The liquid level indicator has a liquid passageway therethrough which is in fluid communication with the interior of the body. The liquid level indicator has a first end attached to the body, a second end attached to the body, and a substantially transparent portion between the first and second ends. The substantially transparent portion is spaced from the exterior surface of the body by a predetermined distance. The substantially transparent portion has indicia thereon which correspond to amounts of liquid that may be in the interior of the container. A display sphere is located within the substantially transparent portion and floats upon the liquid within the substantially transparent portion. The position of the display sphere with respect to the indicia indicates the amount of liquid within the interior of the container. In one embodiment, the body of the container has a generally circular shape and the liquid level indicator is between about 45° and 180° from the handle. The container also includes a removable cover that covers the central opening.
In a related aspect, the present invention is directed to a thermal carafe, comprising a body having an exterior shell constructed from a thermally insulating material, an interior shell defining an interior for holding a liquid, an insulating cavity providing insulation between the exterior shell and the interior shell, and an upper portion defining a central opening and a spout. The thermal carafe also includes a handle attached to the exterior shell at a first predetermined location, and a liquid level indicator attached to the exterior shell at a second predetermined location that is a predetermined distance from the first predetermined location. The liquid level indicator has a liquid passageway therethrough which is in fluid communication with the interior of the interior shell. The liquid level indicator has a first end attached to the exterior shell, a second end attached to the exterior shell, and a substantially transparent portion between the first and second ends. The substantially transparent portion is spaced from the exterior shell by a predetermined distance. The substantially transparent portion has indicia thereon to indicate specific amounts of liquid that may be within the interior of the interior shell. A floating member floats upon the liquid in the substantially transparent portion. The position of the floating member with respect to the indicia indicates the actual amount of liquid within the interior of the interior shell. In one embodiment, the body has a generally circular shape and the liquid level indicator is located between about 45° and 180° from the handle. In one embodiment, the thermal carafe includes a liquid outlet for allowing liquid to flow from the interior of the interior shell. When the liquid outlet is closed, liquids are retained within the interior of the interior shell and do not flow from the interior of the interior shell. When the liquid outlet is open, the liquids flow from the interior of the interior shell and flow through the liquid outlet. The thermal carafe also includes a rotatable cover that covers the central opening.
The foregoing features of the present invention will become more readily apparent and may be understood by referring to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
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In an alternate embodiment, the liquid level indicator has a curved or arcuate geometry. Such a configuration is shown as liquid level indicator 140 in
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In one embodiment, thermal carafe 100 has an insulating cavity 149 between exterior shell 150 and interior shell 152. Insulating cavity 149 provides insulation between exterior shell 150 and interior shell 152. Specifically, insulating cavity 149 provides an insulating barrier to reduce or restrict heat transfer from the liquid contained with interior 153 to exterior shell 150. In an alternate embodiment, insulating cavity 149 is evacuated to a pressure less than atmospheric pressure. In another embodiment, insulating cavity 149 is filled with an insulating material (not shown) but known in the art. Such suitable insulating materials include aerogel.
Interior shell 152 defines the interior 153 that holds liquids therein. Preferably, exterior shell 150 is fabricated from any of the heat resistant plastics described in the foregoing description. In a preferred embodiment, the heat resistant plastic is opaque. Base 107 is fabricated from a material that allows base 107 to be placed on hot surfaces such as a heating plate on a coffee maker, or stove. Such materials are known in the art and are therefore, not discussed herein.
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Thus, the present invention provides a thermal liquid container that provides several features, benefits and advantages. The thermal liquid container of the present invention provides a liquid level indicator that can be viewed by a user from various angles. The thermal liquid container of the present invention can be used for multiple purposes such as a thermal coffee carafe for use with coffee makers, a thermal liquid container for storing liquids such as soups, coffee, tea, or other hot beverages, a thermal liquid container for storing cold liquids such as soda, water, or ice tea, or a thermal cooking pot that can be used on a stove.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description only. It is neither intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed; and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to a person skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined by the accompanying claims.
Claims
1. A container for holding liquids, comprising:
- a body having an interior for holding a liquid, an exterior surface, and an upper portion defining a central opening;
- a handle attached to the body at a first predetermined location, the handle comprising an upper portion, a bottom portion and a central portion located between the upper portion and bottom portion and configured to be grasped by a user, the handle including a device to drain liquid from the interior of the container, the device comprising a liquid outlet and a mechanism to configure the liquid outlet in a closed state to retain liquids in the interior or an open state to drain liquids from the interior; and
- a liquid level indicator attached to the body at a second predetermined location that is a predetermined distance from the first predetermined location, the liquid level indicator having a liquid passageway therethrough which is in liquid communication with the interior of the body, the liquid level indicator having a first end attached to the body, a second end attached to the body, and a substantially transparent portion between the first and second end portions, the substantially transparent portion being spaced apart from the exterior surface of the body by a predetermined distance.
2. The container according to claim 1 wherein the body has a lower portion and an upper portion, the container further comprising a tube fitting that has a portion disposed within the interior and another portion that protrudes through the lower portion of the body, the first end of the liquid level indicator being connected to the portion of the tube fitting that protrudes through the lower portion of the body.
3. The container according to claim 2 wherein the second end of the liquid level indicator is connected to the upper portion of the body.
4. The container according to claim 1 wherein the substantially transparent portion is substantially straight.
5. The container according to claim 1 wherein the substantially transparent portion is curved.
6. The container according to claim 1 wherein the substantially transparent portion has indicia thereon to indicate a specific amount of liquid that may be in the container.
7. The container according to claim 6 wherein the liquid level indicator includes a display sphere that floats upon the liquid in the substantially transparent portion.
8. The container according to claim 1 wherein the body has a generally circular shape and the liquid level indicator is located between about 45° and 180° from the handle.
9. The container according to claim 8 wherein the liquid level indicator is about 90° from the handle.
10. The container according to claim 1 wherein the upper portion of the body defines a spout.
11. The container according to claim 1 wherein the body comprises an interior shell that defines the interior for holding liquids and wherein the body further comprises an exterior shell which has an exterior surface.
12. The container according to claim 1 further including a cover for covering the central opening.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 18, 2009
Publication Date: Feb 11, 2010
Inventor: Yuen Wa Tai (Hong Kong)
Application Number: 12/581,149