Claims:CLAIMS
I/We Claim:
1. An electric tiffin (100) comprising:
a base container (102) having a socket (122) such that the socket is connected to a power cord (101), to receive a power supply to generate a thermal energy to heat food items placed inside the base container (102);
a middle container (104) vertically stacked onto the base container (102) by using a locking element, to receive the thermal energy from the base container (102) through a first contact point (126) to heat the food items placed inside the middle container (104); and
a top container (106) vertically stacked over the middle container (104) to receive the thermal energy from the middle container (104) through the second contact point (128), wherein the top container (106) is adapted to rotate at a predefined angle to switch from a heat mode to a normal mode.
2. The electric tiffin (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking element is a spring-loaded locking element.
3. The electric tiffin (100) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first button (132), a second button (134) and a third button (136) installed at an outer wall of the base container (102), the middle container (104) and the top container (106) respectively to remove one of, the base container (102), the middle container (104) and the top container (106) from a stacked electric tiffin (100).
4. The electric tiffin (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power cord (101) is having a plug at a first end and a connector (124) at a second end to provide the power supply to the base container (102).
5. The electric tiffin (100) as claimed in claim 1, comprising a lid (108) to cover a top portion (120) of the top container (106).
6. The electric tiffin (100) as claimed of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined angle is 180 degrees.
7. An electric tiffin (100) comprising:
a base container (102) having a socket (122) such that the socket is connected to a power cord (101), to receive a power supply to generate a thermal energy to heat food items placed inside the base container (102);
a middle container (104) vertically stacked onto the base container (102) by using a locking element, to receive the thermal energy from the base container (102) through a first contact point (126) to heat the food items placed inside the middle container (104);
a top container (106) vertically stacked over the middle container (104) to receive the thermal energy from the middle container (104) through the second contact point (128), wherein the top container (106) is adapted to rotate at a predefined angle of 180 degrees to switch from a heat mode to a normal mode; and
a lid (108) to cover a top portion (120) of the top container (106).
8. The electric tiffin (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the locking element is a spring-loaded locking element.
9. The electric tiffin (100) as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a first button (132), a second button (134) and a third button (136) installed at an outer wall of the base container (102), the middle container (104) and the top container (106) respectively to remove one of, the base container (102), the middle container (104) and the top container (106) from a stacked electric tiffin (100).
10. The electric tiffin (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the power cord (101) is having a plug at a first end and a connector (124) at a second end to provide the power supply to the base container (102).

Description:FORM 2

THE PATENT ACT 1970
(39 of 1970)
&

THE PATENTS RULES, 2003

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10, and rule 13)

ELECTRIC TIFFIN

APPLICANT(S)
NAME: CHITKARA INNOVATION INCUBATOR FOUNDATION
NATIONALITY: INDIAN
ADDRESS: SCO: 160-161, SECTOR – 9C, MADHYA MARG, CHANDIGARH – 160009, INDIA.

The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed
BACKGROUND
Field of Invention
[001] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a food appliance and particularly to an electric tiffin.
Description of Related Art
[002] Tiffin is commonly used to carry food for eating later or after few hours. Existing tiffin has a number of compartments for keeping different food items such as, rice, curd, vegetable, and so forth. Further, the number of compartments are made of a stainless steel that are stacked over one another and clamped together by using a clamping element. However, such existing tiffin is not able to maintain a temperature of the food items. Also, the tiffin is not adjustable for changing the number of compartments as per the requirements of the user. To overcome aforementioned issues, various electric tiffin have been developed for re-heating the food items.
[003] Conventionally, an electric tiffin that is available for re-heating the food items, contains multiple steel containers that are enclosed in a single cabinet. However, the food items placed in the containers attain a same temperature after sometime as a heat flows from one container to another container which in turn heats up the containers having the food items such as the curd, a pickle and so forth that does not require heat. To avoid such issue, the user needs to remove that containers from the electric tiffin and if the user forgets to remove such containers, then the food items will get wasted. Moreover, the stainless steel used in the containers is heated at a high temperature which causes a significant inconvenience for the user.
[004] There is thus a need for an advanced and more effective electric tiffin that can administer the drawbacks faced by the conventional tiffin.
SUMMARY
[005] Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide an electric tiffin comprising: a base container having a socket such that the socket is connected to a power cord, to receive a power supply to generate a thermal energy to heat food items placed inside the base container; a middle container vertically stacked onto the base container by using a locking element, to receive the thermal energy from the base container through a first contact point to heat the food items placed inside the middle container; and a top container vertically stacked over the middle container to receive the thermal energy from the middle container through the second contact point, wherein the top container is adapted to rotate at a predefined angle to switch from a heat mode to a normal mode.
[006] Embodiments of the proposed invention may provide an electric tiffin comprising: a base container having a socket such that the socket is connected to a power cord, to receive a power supply to generate a thermal energy to heat food items placed inside the base container; a middle container vertically stacked onto the base container by using a locking element, to receive the thermal energy from the base container through a first contact point to heat the food items placed inside the middle container; a top container vertically stacked over the middle container to receive the thermal energy from the middle container through the second contact point, wherein the top container is adapted to rotate at a predefined angle of 180 degrees to switch from a heat mode to a normal mode; and a lid to cover a top portion of the top container.
[007] Embodiments of the present invention may provide a number of advantages depending on its particular configuration. First, embodiments of the present application provide an electric tiffin that may have a default configuration for a top container to prevent a flow of heat to a top container. Next, embodiments of the present application may provide the electric tiffin that may be made of a plastic material from outside and a steel from inside which will not hurt a user anymore. Next, embodiments of the present application may enable the user to change a default configuration of the top container from no heating to a heating by rotating the top container by 180 degrees. Further, embodiments of the present invention may provide a provision to increase or decrease a number of containers based on a requirement.
[008] Next embodiments of the present invention may provide a compact assembly design of the tiffin that may be ergonomically designed and developed. Further embodiments of the present invention may provide a complete assembly design that is easy to manufacture in a bulk using formative manufacturing techniques, thereby proves to be cost-effective.
[009] These and other advantages will be apparent from the present application of the embodiments described herein.
[0010] The preceding is a simplified summary to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present invention. This summary is neither an extensive nor exhaustive overview of the present invention and its various embodiments. The summary presents selected concepts of the embodiments of the present invention in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description presented below. As will be appreciated, other embodiments of the present invention are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The above and still further features and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of embodiments thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1A illustrates an assembled view of an electric tiffin, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 1B illustrates an exploded view of the electric tiffin, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0014] FIG. 2 depicts a flowchart of a method for re-heating food items in an electric tiffin, according to embodiments of the present invention.
[0015] The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include”, “including”, and “includes” mean including but not limited to. To facilitate understanding, like reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate like elements common to the figures. Optional portions of the figures may be illustrated using dashed or dotted lines, unless the context of usage indicates otherwise.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] The following description includes the preferred best mode of one embodiment of the present invention. It will be clear from this description of the invention that the invention is not limited to these illustrated embodiments but that the invention also includes a variety of modifications and embodiments thereto. Therefore, the present description should be seen as illustrative and not limiting. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, it should be understood, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
[0017] In any embodiment described herein, the open-ended terms "comprising," "comprises,” and the like (which are synonymous with "including," "having” and "characterized by") may be replaced by the respective partially closed phrases "consisting essentially of," consists essentially of," and the like or the respective closed phrases "consisting of," "consists of, the like.
[0018] As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” designate both the singular and the plural, unless expressly stated to designate the singular only.
[0019] FIG. 1A illustrates an assembled electric tiffin 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electric tiffin 100 may be designed to heat food items by generating a thermal energy inside from an electrical energy, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The food items may be, but not limited to, chapati, rice, vegetables and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the food items that needs to be heated including known, related art, and/or later developed food items. According to embodiments of the present invention, the electric tiffin 100 may comprise a power cord 101, a base container 102, a middle container 104, a top container 106, and a lid 108. Further, a number of the middle container 104 that may be stacked over one another may be in a range of 1 to 5. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the top container 106 may behave as the middle container 104, in case the middle container 104 is not used.
[0020] The base container 102, the middle container 104 and the top container 106 may be used to hold the food items. In an embodiment of the present invention, the base container 102 and the middle container 104 may hold the food items such as, the rice, the vegetables, the breads, and so forth that may require a heat. Further, in an embodiment of the present invention, the top container 106 may hold another type of food items such as a curd, a pickle and so forth that does not require the heat. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the food items that does not require the heat including known, related art, and/or later developed food items. In another embodiment of the present invention, the top container 106 may hold the food items that requires the thermal energy to be heated.
[0021] In an embodiment of the present invention, an outer wall of the base container 102, the middle container 104, the top container 106 may be made of a material such as, but not limited, a ceramic, wood, and so forth. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the outer wall of the base container 102, the middle container 104 and the top container 106 may be made of a plastic material providing a thermal insulation to a user that may eliminate the chance of burns caused by touching the outer wall of the base container 102, the middle container 104 and the top container 106. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the material for the outer wall of the base container 102, the middle container 104 and the top container 106 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0022] Further, an inner wall of the base container 102, the middle container 104 and the top container 106 may be made of a material such as, but not limited to, a copper, an aluminium, a brass and so forth. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inner wall of the base container 102, the middle container 104 and the top container 106 may be made of a steel as the heat may be easily conducted from a base to the food items placed in the base container 102, the middle container 104 and the top container 106. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the material for the inner wall of the base container 102, the middle container 104 and the top container 106 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0023] The base container 102, the middle container 104 and the top container 106 may be made of any shape such as, a square shape, a rectangular shape, and so forth. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the shape of the base container 102, the middle container 104 and the top container 106 may be a round shape. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the shape of the base container 102, the middle container 104 and the top container 106 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies. The base container 102, the middle container 104 and the top container 106 may be of any size in an embodiment of the present invention. According to embodiments of the present invention, the base container 102 may include a first bottom portion 110 (as shown in FIG. 1B) and a first top portion 112 (as shown in FIG. 1B). The middle container 104 may include a second bottom portion 114 (as shown in FIG. 1B) and a second top portion 116 (as shown in FIG. 1B). The top container 106 may include a third bottom portion 118 (as shown in FIG. 1B) and a third top portion 120 (as shown in FIG. 1B).
[0024] The first bottom portion 110, the second bottom portion 114, and the third bottom portion 118 may be coated with a color such as, but not limited to, yellow, green, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the color, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first bottom portion 110 of the base container 102 may be of a blue color. The second bottom portion 114 of the middle container 104 may be of a mustard color. Further, the third bottom portion 118 of the top container 106 may be of the green color.
[0025] According to embodiments of the present invention, first bottom portion 110 of the base container 102 may be having a built-in socket 122 to enable the user to plug-in the power cord 101. The socket 122 may be of any type such as, but not limited to, a type 0, a type B, a type C and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the socket 122, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the socket 122 may be of a type A.
[0026] The electric tiffin 100 may be provided with the power cord 101 that may be used to supply a power supply to the base container 102 of the electric tiffin 100. The electric tiffin 100 may be further designed to convert the electrical energy received form the power supply into thermal energy to heat the food items, according to embodiments of the present invention. The power cord 101 may be having a plug (not shown) at a first end and a connector 124 at a second end. The plug may be inserted into a wall socket to receive power and the connector 124 may be inserted into the socket 122 to supply the power to the base container 102 of the electric tiffin 100 for heating the food items placed inside the base container 102. The connector 124 of the power cord 101 may be of any type such as, but not limited to, a type B3, a type BF and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the connector 124, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies. In an embodiment of the present invention, the connector 124 of the power cord 101 may depend on the type of the socket 122.
[0027] Further, according to embodiments of the present invention, the first top portion 112 of the base container 102, the second top portion 116 of the middle container 104 and the third top portion 120 of the top container 106 may be having a first contact point 126, a second contact point 128 and a third contact point 130 respectively.
[0028] The base container 102 may be capable to transfer the thermal energy from the base container 102 to the middle container 104 through the first contact point 126 by using a heat transfer mechanism when the second contact point 128 of the middle container 104 comes in contact with the first contact point 126 of the base container 102. The first contact point 126 may be made of a material such as, but not limited to, a metal such as a copper, an aluminium and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the material for the first contact point 126 that may have a high thermal conductivity, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies. The heat transfer mechanism may be, but not limited to, a conduction, a convection and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any heat transfer mechanism that may transfer the heat from the base container 102 to the middle container 104 by a physical contact, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0029] In an embodiment of the present invention, the middle container 104 may be stacked onto the base container 102 through a locking element (not shown). The locking element may be mounted on the base container 102 to tightly hold the middle container 104. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the locking element may be a spring-loaded locking element that may be capable to hold the middle container 104 on the first top portion 112 of the base container 102. In an exemplary scenario, as the user presses the middle container 104 against the first top portion 112 of the base container 102, an internal spring of the locking element may be compressed and allows the second bottom portion 114 of the middle container 104 to position fixedly at the first top portion 112 of the base container 102.
[0030] Further, the middle container 104 may be capable to transfer the heat to the top container 106 through the second contact point 128 by using the heat transfer mechanism when the top container 106 vertically comes in contact with the second contact point 128 of the middle container 104. The second contact point 128 may be made of the material such as, but not limited to, the metal such as the copper, the aluminium, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the material for the second contact point 128 that may have the high thermal conductivity, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0031] In an embodiment of the present invention, the top container 106 may be stacked onto the middle container 104 through the locking element. The locking element may also be mounted on the middle container 104 to tightly hold the top container 106. In an exemplary scenario, as the user presses the top container 106 against the second top portion 116 of the middle container 104, the internal spring of the locking element may be compressed and allows the third bottom portion 118 of the top container 106 to position fixedly at the second top portion 116 of the middle container 104.
[0032] In an embodiment of the present invention, the top container 106 and the middle container 104 may be placed in a vertical manner that may enable the second contact point 128 to transfer the heat from the middle container 104 to the top container 106. In another embodiment of the present invention, the top container 106 and the middle container 104 may not be placed in the vertical manner to prevent the top container 106 from getting the heat. In such embodiment of the present invention, the top container 106 may be positioned at a pre-defined angle over the middle container 104 to receive the heat from the middle container 104 through the second contact point 128. In an exemplary scenario, the user may rotate the top container 106 by the pre-defined angle to get vertically aligned with the second contact point 128 of the middle container 104 to switch the top container 106 from a normal mode to a heat mode. In another exemplary scenario, the user may rotate the top container 106 by the pre-defined angle to remove the vertical alignment with the second contact point 128 of the middle container 104 to switch the top container 106 from the heat mode to the normal mode.
[0033] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pre-defined angle may be a 180 degree.
[0034] The top container 106 may be capable to transfer the heat from the top container 106 to a next top container (not shown) through the third contact point 130 by using the heat transfer mechanism. The third contact point 130 may be made of the material such as, but not limited to, the metal such as the copper, the aluminium, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the material for the third contact point 130 that may have the high thermal conductivity, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0035] FIG. 1B illustrates an exploded view of the electric tiffin 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to embodiments of the present invention, the first bottom portion 110, the second bottom portion 114, and the third bottom portion 118 may be having a first button 132, a second button 134 and a third button 136 respectively to enable the user to separate one of, the base container 102, the middle container 104 or the top container 106 from a stack forming the electric tiffin 100, in an embodiment of the present invention. As soon as one of the first button 132, the second button 134 or the third button 136 is pressed by the user, a load may be released from the spring of the corresponding locking element to remove one of, the base container 102, the middle container 104 or the top container 106 from the stacked containers.
[0036] The first button 132, the second button 134 and the third button 136 may be of any type such as, but not limited to, a push button, a touch button, and alike. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the first button 132, the second button 134 or the third button 136 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies. Further, the first button 132, the second button 134 or the third button 136 may be of any shape, such as a flat rectangular shape, a circular shape that enables the user to press or touch one of, the first button 132, the second button 134 or the third button 136 easily. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type shape of the first button 132, the second button 134 or the third button 136 that may accommodate a finger of the user easily including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0037] Further, the lid 108 may be used to cover the top container 106. The lid 108 may be made of any material such as, the ceramic, the wood and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the material for the lid 108 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies. Further, a shape of the lid 108 may be, but not limited to, the rectangular shape, the square shape and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any shape the lid 108 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lid 108 may be of the circular shape. Further, the lid 108 may be coated with any color such as, but not limited to, a red, the yellow and so forth. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lid 108 may be coated with the blue color. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the color for the lid 108 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0038] FIG. 2 depicts a flowchart of a method 200 for heating the food items placed inside the electric tiffin 100, according to embodiments of the present invention.
[0039] At step 202, the electric tiffin 100 may receive the power supply through the base container 102 for heating the food items.
[0040] At step 204, the electric tiffin 100 may transfer a thermal energy from the base container 102 to the middle container 104 through the first contact point 126 to heat the food items placed inside the middle container 104.
[0041] At step 206, the electric tiffin 100 may determine whether the top container 106 is staked vertically or not on the middle container 104. If the top container 106 comes in a direct contact with the second contact point 128 of the middle container 104 then the top container 106 is determined to be staked vertically on the middle container 104, and therefore the method 200 may proceed to a step 208, otherwise the method 200 may proceed to a step 210.
[0042] At the step 208, the electric tiffin 100 may transfer the thermal energy from the middle container 104 to the top container 106.
[0043] At step 210, the electric tiffin 100 may block a flow of the thermal energy from reaching out to the top container 106.
[0044] Embodiments of the invention are described above with reference to block diagrams and schematic illustrations of methods and systems according to embodiments of the invention. While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and various embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
[0045] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope the invention is defined in the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements within substantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.