3 ms·

This is the kind of device that requires a patent, so that you can tell me precisely what's in your "proprietary phase change material." Perhaps you could also

by hapless 16y ago

This is the kind of device that requires a patent, so that you can tell me precisely what's in your "proprietary phase change material." Perhaps you could also describe its containment. That's what "patent" means, after all: open, obvious, visible. I'm not going to put a can full of mystery alloy into my scalding coffee and trust that it's not going to leak, burst, or leach metals into my food. Just not gonna happen. Given the market for this product, I know I'm not the only one who will balk.

zcid 16y ago
I realize that "food grade" stainless steel can mean many things, but I'm sure that if you contacted them, they would have no issues with giving you specifics on it. As for the interior material, it shouldn't ever be an issue unless you seriously abuse the shell, but they do list it as "100% edible". That's good enough for me. Lying on that point would probably mean jail time, enough of a negative incentive for me to trust them.
- hapless 16y ago
  Lots of things are "food safe" for incidental contact, but unwise to ingest. Lots of things are "edible" in small quantities, but you may not want to ingest them daily as they leak out of a container. Lots of people are willing to lie to you in ways that could incur jail time if they perceive the risk of harm to be very low. I want to be able to asses those risks for myself.
oasisbob 16y ago
My guess is that the material is really trivial, and they're just trying to protect the composition so they can get a lead to market. Once it's on the market, I bet it'll be cracked open within days, and cloned fast. My guess? The phase change material could be as simple as beeswax. (Melting point of 62-64 C, very close to the melting point they specify.) They'd want to optimize for heat capacity, but there are plenty of natural and safe materials in the ballpark.
- hapless 16y ago
  That's what a patent is for: get you twenty year lead to market. Even if it is just beeswax, this is a novel application.

by hapless 16y ago

zcid 16y ago

I realize that "food grade" stainless steel can mean many things, but I'm sure that if you contacted them, they would have no issues with giving you specifics on it. As for the interior material, it shouldn't ever be an issue unless you seriously abuse the shell, but they do list it as "100% edible". That's good enough for me. Lying on that point would probably mean jail time, enough of a negative incentive for me to trust them.

hapless 16y ago
Lots of things are "food safe" for incidental contact, but unwise to ingest. Lots of things are "edible" in small quantities, but you may not want to ingest them daily as they leak out of a container. Lots of people are willing to lie to you in ways that could incur jail time if they perceive the risk of harm to be very low. I want to be able to asses those risks for myself.

oasisbob 16y ago

My guess is that the material is really trivial, and they're just trying to protect the composition so they can get a lead to market. Once it's on the market, I bet it'll be cracked open within days, and cloned fast. My guess? The phase change material could be as simple as beeswax. (Melting point of 62-64 C, very close to the melting point they specify.) They'd want to optimize for heat capacity, but there are plenty of natural and safe materials in the ballpark.

hapless 16y ago
That's what a patent is for: get you twenty year lead to market. Even if it is just beeswax, this is a novel application.