A fountain for heating and distributing fluidic material is manufactured using various processes and materials. In one embodiment, the fountain includes a heating element encased in an enclosure. A basin containing a medium, such as chocolate, is removably mounted to the enclosure so that the basin
A fountain for heating and distributing fluidic material is manufactured using various processes and materials. In one embodiment, the fountain includes a heating element encased in an enclosure. A basin containing a medium, such as chocolate, is removably mounted to the enclosure so that the basin is heated by contact with the enclosure. Additionally, an auger having a spiral flight rotates and lifts the melted chocolate upward to a top end of a cylinder that houses the auger. One or more tiers may be mounted, using various locking mechanisms, onto the cylinder to divert flow of the medium. A smaller chocolate fountain that may advantageously be more suitable for home use is also described herein.
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What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus comprising: a basin having a bottom surface and an outer side surrounding the bottom surface, the basin being configured to contain a fluidic material; an enclosure substantially encasing a heating element, wherein the enclosure is in contact with the bottom surf
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus comprising: a basin having a bottom surface and an outer side surrounding the bottom surface, the basin being configured to contain a fluidic material; an enclosure substantially encasing a heating element, wherein the enclosure is in contact with the bottom surface of the basin and is configured to heat the bottom surface of the basin, the enclosure further comprising a support reservoir configured to support the bottom surface of the basin, wherein the basin is removably attached to the enclosure; a cylinder having a top end and a bottom end, wherein the bottom end is attached to the bottom surface of the basin so that the cylinder extends upwardly substantially perpendicular from the bottom surface; an auger having a spiral flight comprising a plurality of revolutions protruding along a length of the auger, wherein the auger is disposed within the cylinder; a tier removably attached to the cylinder and having an upper surface and a lower surface; and a source of rotation coupled to the auger and configured to rotate the auger inside the cylinder, wherein the spiral flight supports the fluidic material as the auger rotates, moving the fluidic material upwardly to the top end of the cylinder. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support reservoir comprises a coupling mechanism and the bottom end of the cylinder comprises an engagement mechanism configured for engagement with the coupling mechanism of the support reservoir so that the basin is secured to the housing. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the engagement mechanism comprises threads on the outer surface of the cylinder and the coupling mechanism comprises a threaded aperture in the support reservoir. 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the engagement mechanism comprises one or more protrusions on the outer surface of the cylinder and the coupling mechanism comprises one or more slots in the support reservoir, wherein the one or more slots are arranged in a mating relationship with the one or more protrusions. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the basin comprises one or more cylindrical pins that extend downward therefrom and the support reservoir comprises one or more cavities that are dimensioned to receive the one or more cylindrical pins, such that the one or more cylindrical pins engage with an aperture in order to lockingly engage the basin with the support reservoir. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the one or more cavities each include a circular portion and a slotted portion and the one or more cylindrical pins each include an expanded portion on a lower circumference of each of the one or more cylindrical pins, and wherein a diameter of the expanded portions is larger than a width of the slotted portions and smaller than or equal to a diameter of the circular portions of the cavities. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the auger comprises a handle at an upper end of the auger, wherein the handle is shaped to be grasped by a human hand. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprise a plurality of tiers, each of the plurality of tiers comprising an aperture with a different diameter, wherein the cylinder is step tapered so that each of the plurality of tiers engages with one of the step-tapers when the tiers are lowered around the cylinder. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an inner circumference of the tier surrounding an aperture in the tier is angled to substantially match in a mating relationship with an outer surface of the cylinder at a predetermined location along the length of the cylinder. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a unitary crown and tier, wherein the unitary crown and tier is mounted on a top end of the cylinder and the fluidic material flows from the top end of the cylinder onto the crown and then onto an upper surface of the tier. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the unitary crown and tier comprises metal. 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the unitary crown and tier comprises plastic. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a stabilizer having support members configured to contact a topmost portion of the auger in order to maintain a position of the auger within the cylinder. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the stabilizer comprises a cylindrical portion having an outer circumference substantially identical to an inner circumference of the cylinder. 15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more flexible heating members, wherein said one or more flexible heating members are coupled to the basin so that a surface of the basin is substantially uniformly heated. 16. A method of assembling an apparatus for circulating a fluidic medium, the method comprising: mounting a cylinder to a basin so that the cylinder extends upwardly substantially perpendicular to a bottom surface of the basin; mounting the basin to a housing via an engagement mechanism, such that the basin is removable from the basin; placing a tier having a circular aperture on the cylinder in a position such that a top end of the cylinder is inside the bounds defined by the circular aperture; and moving the tier towards a bottom end of the cylinder until a locking mechanism stabilizes the tier at a predetermined location and the tier becomes securely coupled to the cylinder. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the cylinder comprises a step taper configured to engage the tier as the tier is lowered around the cylinder. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the cylinder comprises a plurality of step tapers, each configured to engage one of a plurality of tiers as the tiers are lowered around the cylinder. 19. A system for circulating a fluidic medium, the system comprising: means for mounting a cylinder to a basin; means for removably mounting the basin to a housing; a tier having a circular aperture, wherein a diameter of the circular aperture is substantially identical to a diameter of cylinder; and means for locking the tier at a predetermined location on the cylinder. 20. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for supporting the fluidic medium in the cylinder so that the fluidic medium is moved upward inside the cylinder. 21. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for supporting comprises a means for grasping the means for supporting. 22. An apparatus comprising: a basin configured to contain a fluidic material; an enclosure substantially encasing a heating element, wherein the basin is removably attached to the enclosure; a cylinder attached to a bottom surface of the basin so that the cylinder extends upwardly substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface; an auger disposed within the cylinder; a tier removably attached to the cylinder; and a source of rotation coupled to the auger and configured to rotate the auger, wherein the auger supports the fluidic material as the auger rotates so as to move the fluidic material upwardly to a top end of the cylinder.
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