When I take a mug of coffee into the workshop, it's too hot to drink, so I put it down. When I remember it an hour later, it's cold. So I got myself an insulated stainless steel mug. My coffee remains scalding hot all day long.
What is needed (apart from the memory of a younger man) is a cup which will permit rapid cooling to a target temperature, then limit further cooling to maintain that temperature.
I propose a modification of the twin walled stainless steel mug:
Lining the outside wall are alternating vertical strips of copper and fibrous insulator. On the outside face of the inner wall are similar strips, so that small rotations of the inner relative to the outer can produce alignment or misalignment of similar strips.
When like strips are aligned, the contents will cool quickly.
A bimetal coil in the base rotates the inner when the target temperature is achieved, aligning each copper strip with an insulated strip, thus maintaining the contents at a more stable temperature.
The target temperature can be adjusted using a dial in the base of the mug, which adjusts preload on the bimetal coil.-- Twizz, Oct 25 2010 Eutectic Coffee Temp Regulation Eutectic_20Cup [bs0u0155, Jul 06 2021] //apart from the memory of a younger man// - you'd like the memory of a younger man? - oh, right, you meant it *that* way...-- hippo, Oct 25 2010 As an aesthetic add-on, if the inner and outer shells and the insulators were transparent, there would be a visual indication of temperature and a bit of gadget factor.-- Twizz, Oct 25 2010 Ridiculous [+]-- mouseposture, Oct 26 2010 Jenkin's last day at the office began by replacing the bi- metallic coil in his boss' mug with parts of a retractable pen and bits of plastic paperclips. [+]-- Letsbuildafort, Oct 26 2010 You might support the cup above an insulating container. A bimetallic strip trips a latch when the drink is sufficiently cool and drops the cup in and closes the lid.-- neelandan, Oct 26 2010 //apart from the memory of a younger man// Idea balances out time taken to find cooling coffee cup, each time it is misplaced. [+]-- xenzag, Oct 26 2010 <<Low-tech version of this idea: removable cozy.>>
Fails on requirement for memory. If I could remember to put the cosy on, I'd remember to drink the coffee.-- Twizz, Oct 26 2010 //remember to drink the coffee//
What if you happen to have made two cups? Do you have to remember to drink them both?-- infidel, Oct 27 2010 Taking the lower tech direction to it's logical conclusion:
Learn to tolerate cold coffee, or
Drink water, or
Don't take drinks into the workshop, or
Don't exist (this solves a lot of issues).-- Twizz, Oct 27 2010 An alternative design uses two semicircular finned heatsinks joined by a bimetallic strip hinge. Press the device agains a hot mug and the strip flexes, causing it to enfold the mug and keep the heatsink in contact.
When the mug cools, the strip flexes the other way, and the heatsink detaches and falls off, alerting the drinker to the fact that their drink is at the exact right temperature.
The deluxe version contains a .22 LR blank cartridge. When the spring flexes back, the striker releases, firing the cartridge. The gas blast flings the heatsink segments forcefully away from the mug, and the reaction shatters the mug and sprays warm liquid over the surrounding area. The loud explosion and the subsequent spray of wet ceramic shrapnel is an unmistakeable signal.-- 8th of 7, Nov 05 2013 "may" … ?
We have an excellent track record of consistently producing devices that invariably explode violently (irrespective of whether that was actually part of the original requirement specification).-- 8th of 7, Nov 05 2013 It is my belief that the "Americano" should be prepared with warm water rather than hot water. That way, the espresso and water mix is immediately at drinkable temperature.
[+] for clever use of bimetallic strip to add motion to a coffee cup. The simplicity of coffee pairs well with this simple, electronics-free design.-- sninctown, Jul 06 2021 random, halfbakery