DEVICE AND METHOD FOR THAWING A FROZEN DRINK IN A GLASS DRINKING BOTTLE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device and a method for thawing a frozen beverage in a glass drinking bottle. background

[0002] Devices are known for thawing frozen goods. These include, for example, microwave ovens.

[0003] Document US 2005 / 045617 A1 discloses a system and method for heating infant formula. Heating of the formula or milk is achieved by drawing in ambient air and passing it past a heating element arranged separately from the space for the milk bottles. This heating element is then heated and introduced into the space for the milk bottles to heat the bottles.

[0004] US Patent No. 7,089,749 B1 discloses a thermoelectrically heated / cooled cup holder system comprising a Peltier element in good thermal contact with the cup. A fan is used to carry away heat from fins on the Peltier elements when they are operated to cool the liquid.

[0005] Document JP H03 86113 A discloses a heat-retaining device in which heat exchange takes place by means of a fan F driven by a motor M to quickly achieve a desired heat-retaining temperature.

[0006] Document GB 814 808 A discloses an improved insulation wall structure, particularly for refrigerator compartments. The insulating capacity of the insulation wall, which is formed internally from a fibrous material, can be reduced by setting the gas contained in the fibrous material in motion, thus enabling, for example, better cooling of the refrigerator compartment by the freezer compartment.

[0007] From the document DE 704 788 A a device for heating liquids by means of electrical or non-electrical heating devices, the heating energy of which is transferred to the liquid to be heated by thermal radiation, is known.

[0008] Application US 2016 / 242598 A1 describes a heated or cooled portable container. The container is permanently connected to a heating / cooling device at its base. In one embodiment, the liquid can be cooled by utilizing the chimney effect by applying an air flow between the liquid and the inner side of the outer wall.

[0009] The document US 2004 / 140304 A1 relates to a device for cooling and heating a baby bottle in a single chamber and a method for operating the device. Summary

[0010] The object of the invention is to provide a device and a method for thawing a frozen beverage in a glass drinking bottle.

[0011] To achieve this object, a device and a method for thawing a frozen beverage in a glass drinking bottle are provided according to independent claims 1 and 13. Alternative embodiments are the subject of dependent subclaims.

[0012] The heating device may be configured to provide a heating power between about 1 kW and about 4 kW, alternatively between about 2 kW and about 3 kW.

[0013] It can be provided that a space between the heat radiators and the glass drinking bottle, when the latter is arranged in the bottle receiving space, is empty, allowing direct radiation or irradiation of heat energy from the heat radiators onto the glass drinking bottle. The glass drinking bottle can be heated in the bottle receiving space without heat conduction due to contact, for example, solely due to the introduction of heat energy by means of thermal radiation.

[0014] The air inlet can be formed in the bottom area of ​​the housing and / or adjacent thereto, for example, with one or more openings in the outer housing wall. The air outlet can be formed in an upper part of the housing in the cover area and / or adjacent thereto, for example, by means of one or more openings in the housing wall.

[0015] The air conveying device for sucking in and conveying the sucked-in air in the air duct can comprise one or more fans.

[0016] An opening for inserting the glass drinking bottle into the bottle receiving space can be formed on the top side of the housing.

[0017] The heat radiators can be surrounded by an inner wall, and the thermally insulating space can be arranged between the inner wall and the outer housing wall. The inner wall surrounding the heat radiators, which is arranged between the outer housing wall and the heat radiators, can be continuous or discontinuous. The outer housing wall and / or the inner wall can be made of metal or metallized glass (mirror glass). A single-piece or multi-piece design can be provided. In this or other embodiments, the housing can have a round or square cross-sectional area when viewed from.

[0018] The thermally insulating space can be at least partially filled with a thermally insulating material. Temperature-resistant thermal insulation materials such as glass, rock, and / or mineral wool can be used.

[0019] It can be provided that the cooling air flows through the thermally insulating material as it is guided along the air duct.

[0020] The air guide can be designed to encompass electrical contact or connection areas of the heat radiators. In this embodiment, the cooling air flows over or around the electrical contact or connection areas of the heat radiators and thus cools them. For example, bases of the heat radiators, such as lamp bases, can be cooled in this way. The electrical contact or connection areas can be arranged at least partially outside the bottle receiving space. This can be formed, for example, by one or more wall sections arranged in the housing. Such a spatial separation can be created with one or more horizontally running wall sections. In one embodiment, a lower horizontal wall section can simultaneously provide a standing surface for the glass drinking bottle when it is arranged in the bottle receiving space.In this or other embodiments, the lower horizontal wall section can separate a part of the interior space in the housing in which functional components of the device are arranged, for example one or more fans and / or circuit elements, for example circuit elements of a control device and / or the heating device.

[0021] The air duct can be configured to encompass a base on which the glass drinking bottle can stand when arranged in the bottle receiving space. In this embodiment, the air duct runs along the base, in particular on an underside of the base on which the glass drinking bottle stands when arranged in the bottle receiving space.

[0022] The heating device can comprise an array of rod heat emitters arranged around the bottle receiving space. Several heating rods, each emitting heat during defrosting, can be provided around the bottle receiving space. The heat emitters can emit radiation in the infrared range. Suitable for this purpose are, for example, infrared halogen light rods or lamps, in which a glowing wire is arranged in a glass housing filled with halogen gas. The halogen gas protects the heating wire, which emits heat energy, from oxygen-containing atmospheres. This increases the service life of the emitters. Different infrared light wavelengths, such as 0.98µm, 1.2µm, or 1.6µm, can be used for different applications. Depending on the product to be defrosted, the wavelengths can be tailored to the beverage. A combination of several wavelengths is also possible.

[0023] One or more reflectors can be provided on the heat lamps to direct the radiation onto the beverage to be defrosted. This can increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the defrosting process. The reflectors can be arranged outside the heat lamps alternatively or additionally. They can influence the radiation behavior so that the glass drinking bottle is illuminated with an energy distribution that is optimal for the defrosting process. Suitable materials for this purpose include mirror materials made of glass and / or metal (metallized glass or metal), as well as ceramic coatings applied to the glass. The shape of the reflector(s) can be parabolic, and the heat lamps can each be arranged at the focal point to enable parallel, homogeneous radiation towards the glass drinking bottle. Using an elliptical reflector, the radiation towards the glass drinking bottle can be focused or widened.

[0024] A tamper-evident device can be arranged in the housing at a housing opening through which the glass drinking bottle can be inserted into the bottle receiving space. The tamper-evident device protects the user from inadvertently bringing their fingers too close to or even into contact with the heat radiators when inserting or removing the glass drinking bottle. For this purpose, the tamper-evident device can extend from the housing opening into the interior of the housing by at least a finger's length. A wall section of the tamper-evident device can extend vertically downwards from the housing opening and can be formed continuously around the housing opening. In one embodiment, the tamper-evident device is made of a glass material.

[0025] Glass drinking bottles with transparent plastic labels can be used. To prevent the plastic labels from melting, especially on hot metal, a guide and centering system, which can be provided for the glass drinking bottle in the heating chamber and, for example, has guide rods, can be made of transparent non-metallic materials, such as glass or ceramic materials, such as quartz glass or borosilicate glass. This infrared-transparent material absorbs hardly any energy and therefore heats up less than metallic materials. Optionally, the guide elements, such as the guide rods, can be made of a glass tube and, additionally connected to the cooling system, can be cooled from the inside by air.

[0026] The heating device can be coupled to a control device configured to control the operation of the heating device. With the aid of the control device, the heating device can be operated in different operating modes during defrosting. For example, it can be provided that operating modes differ in the heat output delivered in each operating mode. A predefined sequence of different operating modes can be executed as a defrosting program, controlled by the control device. Furthermore, the control device can be configured to control the heating device to implement safety measures.

[0027] A sensor device can be coupled to the control device and is designed to detect whether the glass drinking bottle is arranged in the bottle receiving space. The sensor device can be a mechanical sensor device, for example a tactile sensor. In addition or alternatively, a touch sensor can be provided. A mechanical sensor device with a button or a microswitch can be provided, as it can offer greater safety in combination with a spring mechanism. The additional spring device can increase the force to trigger a switch mechanism. An empty glass drinking bottle does not switch on the heating device. Only a full glass drinking bottle can do this. Below a certain minimum weight, no build-up occurs. This prevents the device from switching on automatically without human intervention, for example if a leaf falls from a tree into the opening of the device.

[0028] The sensor device can be arranged in the base area of ​​the housing, for example in the area of ​​the standing surface on which the glass drinking bottle is placed when it is in the bottle receiving space for thawing. The switching on and / or off of the heating device can be controlled depending on signals detected by the sensor device. For example, the heating device can be switched on automatically when the sensor device detects that a glass drinking bottle is placed in the bottle receiving space. A similar control for switching off can be provided if it is detected that a glass drinking bottle previously placed in the bottle receiving space is removed. It can be provided that switching on the heating device by means of the control device is blocked as long as the sensor device does not indicate that a glass drinking bottle is placed in the bottle receiving space.

[0029] The control device can be configured to block activation of the heating device if the control device determines that the sensor device indicates that no glass drinking bottle is located in the bottle receiving space for a period shorter than a threshold period. In this embodiment, the control device can monitor the period of time for which the sensor device indicates that no glass drinking bottle is located in the bottle receiving space. This can, for example, prevent the heating device from being activated if a glass drinking bottle located in the bottle receiving space is only briefly lifted and then placed back down. This prevents a beverage that has already thawed from being subjected to further heat energy, which could lead to the beverage being heated undesirably.The control device monitors a minimum period of time that must elapse before the heating device can be switched on again. The control device can be configured to prevent a glass drinking bottle left in the device from being inadvertently defrosted multiple times. To start the defrosting process, the glass drinking bottle must be removed from the device or lifted for a certain period of time. The control device can switch the power supply off again after a maximum activation time. This protects against overheating.

[0030] The control device can be coupled to a detection device configured to detect the presence of a frozen beverage, such that the control device controls the heating device during operation depending on the detection of the presence of a frozen beverage. The detection device can, for example, be configured to determine whether the frozen beverage is still completely frozen or has already partially thawed. Depending on this, different heating outputs for the thawing operation can be controlled by the control device. Suitable devices for this purpose include contactless infrared thermometers, which can derive body temperature from the incident infrared radiation. A sensor can be provided that "sees" into the bottle from below through the bottom of the bottle. This has the advantage that the temperature in the beverage can be monitored even during heating operation, without the heat radiators radiating from the side dazzling or negatively affecting the sensor.Depending on the body temperature of the beverage, the heating power and heating time can be adjusted to the object being thawed. Different bottle sizes (weights) and temperatures can be easily thawed with consistent quality. Consistent quality, as used here, means, for example, that the ice cubes optionally included in the glass drinking bottle can move freely within the bottle after thawing. Too much heat would also melt the ice cubes in the bottle. In this example, only the liquid should be thawed; the ice cubes should remain solid.

[0031] Another protective device, which can be implemented in conjunction with the control unit, can deactivate the power electronics in the event of a glass drinking bottle bursting in the device or if it starts to rain. This can be done by switching off the power electronics before the liquid flows down into the electronics and triggers dangerous short circuits. For this purpose, a sensor can be placed beneath the bottom of the bottle using a circuit board. The sensor can have gold-plated conductor sections that, like two interlocking combs, have different voltage potentials in the low-voltage range that is harmless to humans. The gold-plated surfaces of the combs ensure that the surface always remains electrically conductive due to their good corrosion and oxidation properties. However, other metallic materials are also suitable for the combs.Leaking fluid flies downward due to gravity and, upon contact with the sensor, triggers a short circuit between the combs. The combs are connected to one another at one or more points by the electrically conductive fluid. Because the fluid flows over the sensor first, shutdown occurs very quickly. With appropriate optimization, this ensures that the power supply is shut off before the fluid reaches the fans and critical areas of the electronics. The short circuit is detected by an electronic control device and causes the power electronics, for example, to shut down. Alternatively, the short circuit can be used to collapse the supply voltage to the relays, which then switches them off.It is important to ensure that the device that provides the low voltage supply for the combs and relays is also short-circuit proof / safe.

[0032] Another temperature sensor can monitor the interior of the cooling system, detecting malfunctions caused by blocked or defective fans or clogged air intakes and shutting down the entire machine before it overheats. If the temperature inside the cooling system or in the electronics area rises above a defined limit, for example, 40°C, an emergency shutdown can be initiated.

[0033] The device can be equipped with zero-crossing detection to improve EMC properties, specifically to avoid EMC loads that are harmful to the mains and equipment, and to prevent flickering effects when dimming the power. A detection system can determine each individual zero crossing of the 50 Hz AC mains and thus provide ideal control points for controlling the dimmer. If dimmers are switched on and off at zero crossing, EMC interference can be minimized. Detecting zero crossings also has the significant advantage of preventing or significantly reducing flickering effects. Flickering effects are caused by phase shifts and non-mains-synchronous switching of dimmers that switch at zero crossing. This means that the correct switching point may be missed after every n switching operations, and the half-wave may not have been switched through by mistake.This effect is visible at a much lower frequency of a few Hz and is therefore particularly disturbing.

[0034] The device may include a thermal fuse as further protection against overheating, which permanently interrupts the power supply. If the interior temperature rises above a threshold, the thermal fuse is permanently triggered.

[0035] A safety feature in the form of a power cord disconnection may be provided, which requires the power cord to be disconnected when disassembling the enclosure. The enclosure cover may have a cutout that requires the power cord to be pulled out to remove the enclosure in the only possible disassembly direction. The power cord in the power socket may mechanically block removal of the enclosure cover.

[0036] The device can include a system for adjusting the heating output during a cold start (using cold heat radiators) to avoid grid overloads. An (additional) dimmer can prevent grid overload during a cold start.

[0037] The electrical resistance of the heat lamps depends on the temperature and is lower when cold than when warm. When cold, all heat lamps are more conductive than when warm during continuous operation. This is why an unacceptably high initial current can flow, which can temporarily overload the power grid. After just a few fractions of a second, the heat lamps heat up and the heating output drops significantly. The more heat lamps are operated simultaneously, the more pronounced the impact on the power grid. Immediately after switch-on, the dimmer ensures a significantly reduced output by dimming the heating output. This can be achieved, for example, using a semiconductor relay that is periodically switched on and off so that less energy flows on average over time, thus significantly reducing the average output.The solid-state relay can be connected to a heat sink for cooling, which is ventilated by the air flow system. After a short period of time (e.g., one second), the power can be increased to normal, as the heat lamps have been sufficiently warmed up. The duration of the warm-up phase depends in particular on factors such as the percentage of reduced power (dimming) and the conductivity of the heat lamps when cold, and must be adjusted once to suit the heat lamps used. As an alternative to using a dimmer, the heat lamps can also be switched on at different times.

[0038] The device can be equipped with a system for adjusting the heating output when the device overheats to avoid forced cooling phases. Using a dimmer, such as a solid-state relay, the heating output can be varied during operation. By periodically switching the device on and off, less energy flows over time, which is why the average power can be significantly reduced. This can be provided if the power loss can no longer be dissipated quickly enough by the fan during continuous operation. To avoid a cooling phase when critical temperatures are exceeded, the heating output can be reduced beforehand, allowing the device to be used continuously and continuously without waiting periods.

[0039] A software-based control of the heating output can be provided, which detects the temperatures inside the enclosure. If the temperature inside the enclosure exceeds one or more thresholds, the heating output can be reduced. By integrating the supplied heating output over time, the control measures the amount of energy already supplied, depending on the number of defective heat radiators and the dimming factor δ. The supplied energy can be calculated using the following formula: E = ∫ 0 t e P W × n W × δ Δ ϑ − P V Δ ϑ × d t

[0040] Here E is the amount of energy added to the drink, P W is the power per radiant heater, t is the defrosting time, n W the number of functioning radiant heaters, the dimming factor δ the power adjustment of the dimmer in percent of the maximum power, E - 18°C the amount of energy required to defrost a frozen beverage from -18°C to consumption temperature, PV is the power loss due to thermal losses from waste heat in the housing and Δϑ is the temperature difference between the ambient temperature and the temperature inside the device.

[0041] The operating temperature of the interior of the housing can be measured using a temperature sensor. The ambient temperature of the device can also be measured using another temperature sensor. The position of the ambient temperature sensor can be in the lower part of the housing, for example, near a floor panel.

[0042] The risk of a short circuit can be reduced with the help of a water drainage system. The water drainage system can consist of a temperature-resistant tray (e.g., made of aluminum) with a drain opening and optionally designed to accommodate all important components such as the glass tubes or rods. The water drainage system safely directs all water entering the tray out of the housing via the drain opening through a drain line, which can be formed, for example, by a hose or pipe.

[0043] A gutter may be provided designed to collect water, for example, excess water outside the tub. The gutter may be made of an electrically non-conductive, temperature-resistant material (e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE). The gutter may also form a centering device by means of centering holes for the bases of the heat emitters. The material of the gutter is electrically non-conductive so that water that appears at the bases of the heat emitters cannot cause a short circuit with conductive parts of the housing. The bases of the heat emitters may be made of a porous ceramic, which absorbs water and thus becomes electrically conductive. The bases of the heat emitters can become very hot during operation, which is why the materials used are sufficiently temperature-resistant.For electrically insulating parts, ceramic materials such as aluminum titanate, aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, silicon nitride, aluminum silicate, or high-temperature-resistant engineering plastics such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketones (PEK), perfluoroalkoxy polymers (PFA), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyethersulfone (PES), polysulfone (PSU), polyamideimide (PAI), polyimide (PI), or polyphenylenesulfone (PPSU) are used. Various metallic alloys such as stainless steel 1.4301 or aluminum EN AW-2007 can be used for electrically conductive components.

[0044] The gutter can have additional defined drip points to allow any water to drip off only at defined points.

[0045] Spring contact pins can electrically contact the heat emitters after insertion at both ends of the respective heat emitter. They can be designed to compensate for possible manufacturing tolerances and length changes due to the heat emitters expanding during operation thanks to their flexible expandability.

[0046] The device can be easily disassembled and reassembled using plug-in electrical connections. The heat lamps or other components can be easily replaced. The device can be completely assembled and disassembled using simple, inexpensive, and readily available tools (for example, a Phillips screwdriver, a screwdriver, and combination pliers).

[0047] The heat radiators can each be protected against twisting by means of a temperature-resistant guide, for example a metal guide.

[0048] A respective electronic circuit detects whether a connected radiant heater is defective. A control algorithm determines the heat output lost due to defective radiant heaters and compensates for this by extending the heating time. The control algorithm is set so that the total amount of heat supplied by the non-defective radiant heaters remains constant, regardless of the number of defective radiant heaters, as long as a defined number of defective radiant heaters is not exceeded. An acoustic signal can signal a defective radiant heater. A display can show the user the location of the defective radiant heaters. If a defined number of defective radiant heaters is exceeded, the device can stop operating and a message indicating that maintenance is required can be shown on the display. Description of implementation examples

[0049] Further embodiments are explained in more detail below with reference to figures of a drawing. Herein: Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of an arrangement comprising a device for defrosting a frozen beverage and a glass drinking bottle containing the frozen beverage; Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of the device from Fig. 1 in section, wherein the glass drinking bottle is arranged in a bottle receiving space; Fig. 3 a further illustration of the sectional view from Fig. 2 ; Fig. 4 a schematic representation of the device from Fig. 1 partly in section and Fig. 5 a further schematic representation of the device from Fig. 1 partly in section; Fig. 6 a further schematic representation of the device from Fig. 1 partly in section; Fig. 7 a further schematic representation of the device from Fig. 1in section; Fig. 8 a sectional view of the electrical contacting of the heat radiators within the device from Fig. 1 ; Fig. 9 a schematic representation of the guidance of the heat radiators to protect them against twisting within the device of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 10 a circuit diagram of a circuit for detecting the defect of a heat radiator within the device of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 11 a schematic representation of circuits for detecting the defect of several heat radiators within the device of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 12 a sectional view of a water drainage system within the device of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 13 a schematic representation of a channel for collecting water within the device of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 14 a sectional view of the embedding of a sensor device for weight determination within the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 15 a schematic representation of a dimmer with heat sink within the device of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 16 a circuit diagram for detecting zero crossings of the AC network; Fig. 17 a schematic representation, partly in section, of a temperature fuse within the device of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 18 a further schematic representation, partly in section, of a temperature fuse within the device of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 19 a schematic representation of an arrangement with a device for defrosting a frozen beverage and a glass drinking bottle containing the frozen beverage, with an infrared temperature sensor, partly in section.

[0050] In the following, with reference to the Fig. 1 to 19 Embodiments of a device 1 for thawing a frozen beverage in a glass drinking bottle 2 are described. For the same features, Fig. 1 to 19The same reference numerals are used. The glass drinking bottle 2 can be a commercially available glass drinking bottle, which is sealed, for example, with a disposable closure, such as a crown cap.

[0051] Fig. 1shows a schematic representation of an arrangement with the device for defrosting the frozen beverage and the glass drinking bottle 2, which is still arranged outside a housing 3 of the device 1. The housing 3 has an outer housing wall 4. In the area of ​​a cover wall 5, a housing opening 6 is formed, through which the glass drinking bottle 2 can be inserted into a bottle receiving space 7. On the housing 3, feet 8, 9 are provided in a base area 10. By means of a display 11, information can be shown to the user, for example concerning a currently set operating mode. For example, it can be shown whether the defrosting operation has already started, is still running and / or has already ended, for example by means of different colored displays.

[0052] The Fig. 2 to 5 show sectional views of the device 1, wherein the glass drinking bottle 2 is arranged in the bottle receiving space 7.

[0053] An inner wall 13 is arranged opposite the outer housing wall in the interior space 12 of the housing 3. An insulating space 14 is formed between the inner wall 13 and the outer housing wall, which serves for thermal insulation. The insulating space 14 can be at least partially filled with a thermally insulating material.

[0054] The glass drinking bottle 2 stands on a sensor device 17, which in the embodiment shown is provided by a lower horizontally extending wall section 16. In the embodiment shown, the sensor device 17 has a button 18, which is actuated when the glass drinking bottle 2 is placed on the sensor device 17 in the bottle receiving space 7. The sensor device 17 is coupled to a control device 19, which in turn controls the operation of a heating device 20 with a plurality of heat radiators 21. The plurality of heat radiators 21 are arranged around the bottle receiving space 7 and, during defrosting operation, emit heat radiation directly onto the glass drinking bottle 2 in order to defrost the frozen beverage located therein.Electrical connection or contact areas 22, 23, for example in the form of bases, are spatially separated from the bottle receiving space 7 by means of the lower horizontal wall section 16 and an upper horizontal wall section.

[0055] Between an upper horizontal wall section 24 and the housing opening 6 extends an anti-interference protection 25, which consists for example of a glass material and prevents the user from inadvertently coming into contact with the heat radiators 21 and the electrical connection and contact area 22, 23 when setting up or removing the glass drinking bottle 2.

[0056] The device 1 has a thermal insulation and cooling device formed by an air conveying device 26, which in the illustrated embodiment is designed as a fan. The air conveying device 26 draws air through air inlets 27a, 27b, which in the embodiment are formed on the floor and wall sides, into an air duct 28, which extends to an air outlet 29. The air duct 28 guides the cooling air past the electrical contact or connection areas 23, as well as through the thermal insulation space 14 and past the electrical contact and connection areas 22 to the air outlet 29, which in the illustrated embodiment is formed by openings in a side wall section.

[0057] During insertion and removal, the glass drinking bottle 2 is guided by means of a bottle guide 32, which in the example shown is formed with glass tubes or rods 33 which are arranged at a distance from one another around the circumference.

[0058] Spring contact pins 34 electrically contact the heat radiators 21 at both ends of the respective heat radiator 21. They can be configured to compensate for possible manufacturing tolerances and length changes due to expansion of the heat radiators 21 during operation by means of their flexible expandability ( Fig. 8 The device 1 can be easily disassembled and reassembled using plug-in electrical connections. The heat radiators 21 or other components can thus be easily replaced. The device 1 can be completely assembled and disassembled using simple, inexpensive, and readily available tools (for example, a Phillips screwdriver, a screwdriver, and combination pliers).

[0059] The heat radiators 21 are each protected against twisting by means of a temperature-resistant guide 35, for example a metal guide ( Fig. 9). Rotating the heat radiators 21, which may be coated with a white, highly reflective ceramic, can be problematic during operation, since the radiant energy must be directed onto the glass drinking bottle 2 in the center of the device 1. If the heat radiators 21 are rotated relative to the position concentrating the radiant energy, the efficiency decreases, and the energy must be dissipated as power loss via the housing 3.

[0060] By means of a respective electronic circuit (cf. Fig. 10 , Fig. 11) detects whether a connected heat emitter 21 is defective. A heat emitter 21 is connected to OUT1 and connected to N. L1 is connected to 230V AC. If the heat emitter 21 is functional, a current flows through the diode network D5-D11, resulting in a voltage difference of approximately 3×0.7V=2.1V. The capacitor C5 charges with each positive half-cycle and drives a light-emitting diode (LED) in the optocoupler U3. A voltage of 0V is present at the Channel1 output. If the heat emitter 21 is defective, the capacitor C5 no longer charges, the LED in the optocoupler U3 goes out, the optocoupler U3 is blocked, and 5V is present at the Channel1 output. The Channel1 output is connected to a microcontroller and is evaluated by it.

[0061] A control algorithm determines the heat output loss caused by defective heat radiators 21 and compensates for this loss by extending the heating time. The control algorithm is configured such that the total amount of heat supplied by the non-defective heat radiators 21 remains constant, regardless of the number of defective heat radiators 21, as long as a defined number of defective heat radiators 21 is not exceeded.

[0062] An acoustic signal can signal a defect in a heat emitter 21. The display 11 can show the user the location of the defective heat emitters 21. If a defined number of defective heat emitters 21 is exceeded, the operation of the device 1 can be stopped and a message indicating necessary maintenance can be displayed on the display 11.

[0063] With the help of a water drainage system (see Fig. 12) reduces the risk of a short circuit. The water drainage system comprises a temperature-resistant tray 36 (made of aluminum, for example) with a drain opening 37 and a receptacle for all important components such as the glass tubes or rods 33. The water drainage system safely directs all water occurring in the tray 36 out of the housing 3 via the drain opening 37 through a drain line 38, which is formed, for example, by a hose or pipe.

[0064] The lower part of the device 1 contains electrical circuits that must be protected from water. The water is created in particular by icy frozen glass drinking bottles 2. Layers of ice on the glass drinking bottles 2 form, for example, when the glass drinking bottles 2 are stored in freezers and in particular when the freezer doors are opened frequently. The humidity of the ambient air condenses on the glass drinking bottles 2 and freezes layer by layer. The layer of ice on the glass drinking bottles 2 melts during the thawing process in the device 1 and drips off below the glass drinking bottle 2. If there are many glass drinking bottles 2 to be thawed, large quantities of water can arise, which must be safely drained out of the housing 3.

[0065] With the help of a gutter 43 ( Fig. 13) Any remaining water that gets outside the tray 36 is collected. The groove 43 is made of an electrically non-conductive, temperature-resistant material (e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE) and additionally forms a centering device by means of centering openings 43a for the bases of the heat radiators 21. The material of the groove 43 is electrically non-conductive so that water that appears at the bases of the heat radiators 21 cannot cause a short circuit with conductive parts of the housing 3. The bases of the heat radiators 21 can be made of a porous ceramic, which absorbs water and thus becomes electrically conductive. The bases of the heat radiators 21 can become very hot during operation, which is why the materials used are sufficiently temperature-resistant.For electrically insulating parts, ceramic materials such as aluminum titanate, aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, silicon nitride, aluminum silicate, or high-temperature-resistant engineering plastics such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketones (PEK), perfluoroalkoxy polymers (PFA), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyethersulfone (PES), polysulfone (PSU), polyamideimide (PAI), polyimide (PI), or polyphenylenesulfone (PPSU) are used. Various metallic alloys such as stainless steel 1.4301 or aluminum EN AW-2007 can be used for electrically conductive components.

[0066] The channel 43 has additional defined drip points to allow any water to drip off only at defined points.

[0067] The sensor device 17 detects whether the glass drinking bottle 2 has been inserted based on its weight, and then the defrosting process is started. Empty glass drinking bottles 2 are detected due to their low weight. In this case, the defrosting process is not started. The sensor device 17 is embedded in a watertight manner ( Fig.14 ). Condensation or similar liquids cannot flow along the sensor device 17 into the lower part of the housing 3. The sensor device 17 is mounted elevated relative to the tray 36 by means of a base 39, preventing water from entering the guide rod of the sensor device 17.

[0068] The device 1 has a system for adjusting the heating power during a cold start (with cold heat radiators 21) of the device 1 to avoid network overloads ( Fig. 15). An additional dimmer prevents the power grid from being overloaded during a cold start. The electrical resistance of the heat radiators 21 is temperature-dependent and is lower when cold than when warm. When cold, all heat radiators 21 are more conductive than when warm during continuous operation. This is why an unacceptably high initial current can flow, which can temporarily overload the power grid. After just a few fractions of a second, the heat radiators 21 heat up and the heating output decreases significantly. The heating output figures provided by the lamp manufacturers always refer to continuous operation when warm and not to the switch-on process. The more rods are operated simultaneously, the more pronounced the impact on the power grid. Immediately after the switch-on process, the dimmer ensures a significantly reduced output by dimming the heating output. This can be done, for example, using a semiconductor relay 40 (see Fig. 15), which is periodically switched on and off so that less energy flows on average over time and thus the average power is significantly reduced. The semiconductor relay 40 is connected to a heat sink 41 for cooling purposes, which is ventilated by the air conveying device 26. After a short time (for example one second), the power can be increased to the normal level because the heat radiators 21 have been sufficiently heated. The duration of the warm-up phase depends in particular on factors such as the percentage of reduced power (dimming) and the conductivity of the heat radiators 21 when cold and must be adapted once to the heat radiators 21 used. As an alternative to using a dimmer, the heat radiators 21 can also be switched on at staggered times.

[0069] The device 1 has a system for adjusting the heating output when the device 1 overheats to avoid forced cooling phases. Using a dimmer, for example the semiconductor relay 40, the heating output can be varied during operation. By periodically switching on and off, less energy flows on average over time, which is why the average power value can be significantly reduced. This is necessary if, during continuous operation, the power loss can no longer be dissipated sufficiently quickly by the fan 26. To avoid a cooling phase when critical temperatures are exceeded, the heating output can be reduced beforehand, allowing the device 1 to be used continuously and permanently without annoying waiting periods. This offers the user added value and increases the user-friendliness of the device 1.

[0070] A software program controls the heating output and records the temperatures in the interior 12 of the housing 3. If the temperature in the interior 12 of the housing 3 exceeds one or more threshold values, the heating output can be reduced. The software records the amount of energy already supplied by integrating the supplied heating output over time, depending on the number of defective heat radiators 21 and the dimming factor δ. The supplied energy is calculated according to the formula E = ∫ 0 t e P W × n W × δ Δ ϑ − P V Δ ϑ × d t

[0071] Here, E the amount of energy added to the drink, P W is the power per radiant heater 21, t e the thawing time, n W is the number of functioning radiant heaters 21, the dimming factor δ the power adjustment of the dimmer in percent of the maximum power, E -18°C the amount of energy required to defrost a frozen beverage from -18°C to consumption temperature, PV is the power loss due to thermal losses due to waste heat in the housing 3 and Δϑ is the temperature difference between the ambient temperature and the temperature in the interior 12 of the device 1.

[0072] The thawing time depends on the parameters in formula (1). For example, the thawing time is reached when the supplied energy E equal to the required energy E -18°C. The dimming factor δ can take values ​​between 0 and 1. When the dimmer is fully activated, δ=1, which corresponds to the full heating output of 100%. The reduction in output P W and the failure of heat radiators 21 (reduction of n W ) increases the required thawing time. When device 1 is cold, a large portion of the supplied heat energy flows to the housing to warm it up to operating temperature. This must be taken into account in the calculation.

[0073] The operating temperature of the interior 12 of the housing 3 is measured by a temperature sensor. The ambient temperature of the device 1 is also measured by another temperature sensor. The position of the ambient temperature sensor was relocated to the lower part of the housing 3, for example, near the base plate 10. This is because heating by the heating device 20 occurs at other measuring points, which can distort the measurement results. The hotter the device 1 becomes, the smaller the influence of P V , since the housing 3 now radiates energy itself and additionally heats the beverage with the actual power loss. The value of PV is determined by the temperatures in the interior 12 relative to the ambient temperature. The dimming factor δ is determined from the ambient temperature, the temperature in the interior 12, and the number of functioning heat radiators 21. If the temperature in the interior 12 rises too much, the power is reduced.

[0074] Device 1 has a zero crossing detection (exemplary circuit with the H11AA1 module in Fig. 16) to improve EMC properties, specifically to avoid EMC loads that are harmful to the mains and equipment, and to prevent flickering effects when dimming the power. A detection system identifies each individual zero crossing of the 50 Hz AC mains and thus provides ideal control points for controlling the dimmer. If dimmers are switched on and off at zero crossing, EMC interference can be minimized. The detection of zero crossings also has the great advantage that flickering effects can be avoided or significantly reduced. The flickering effects are due to phase shifts and non-mains-synchronous switching of dimmers that switch at zero crossing. It can therefore happen that the correct switching time is missed after all n switching operations and the half-wave is mistakenly not switched through.This effect is visible at a much lower frequency of a few Hz and is therefore particularly disturbing.

[0075] The device 1 has a temperature fuse 42 as further protection against overheating, which permanently interrupts the power supply ( Fig. 17 , Fig. 18 ). If the temperature of the interior 12 rises above a threshold value, the temperature fuse 42 is permanently triggered.

[0076] In a further embodiment, a detection device can be provided in the bottle receiving space 7 or adjacent thereto ( Fig. 19) to determine the frozen beverage in the glass drinking bottle, for example, to detect whether the frozen beverage is still essentially frozen or partially thawed. In the embodiment shown, an infrared temperature sensor 30 is provided, to which a detection area 31 is assigned. Detected signals from the detection device can be transmitted to the control device 19, so that the control device 19 controls the operation of the heating device 20 depending on the detected signals, for example, with regard to the heat output.

[0077] In a further embodiment, the device may have a safety feature in the form of a power cable forced disconnection, which makes it necessary to disconnect the power cable when dismantling the housing 3 ( Fig. 5). The cover of the housing 3 has a cutout 44, which requires the power cable to be removed in order to remove the housing 3 in the only possible disassembly direction. The power cable in the power socket 45 mechanically blocks the removal of the cover of the housing 3.

Claims

1. A device (1) for thawing a frozen drink in a glass drinking bottle (2), with: - a housing (3); - a bottle receiving space (7), which is arranged in the housing (3) and which is configured to receive a glass drinking bottle (2) with a frozen drink for thawing; - a heating means (20), which is arranged in the housing (3) and has radiant heaters (21), which are arranged around the bottle receiving space (7) in order to radiate heat energy onto the glass drinking bottle (2) during the thawing operation; - an electronic circuit, which is configured to detect whether at least one of the radiant heaters (21) is defective, - a thermal insulating and cooling means, which is arranged in the housing (3), the thermal insulating and cooling means having: - a thermally insulating space (14), which is formed in the housing (3) between the radiant heaters (21) and an outer housing wall (4) and so as to circumferentially encompass the outer housing wall (4); and - an air cooling, in the case of which cooling air is drawn from the surrounding area into the housing (3) by means of an air conveying means (26) via an air inlet (27) and is conducted in the housing (3) via an air duct (28) to an air outlet (29), wherein the air duct (28) is formed so as to encompass at least the thermally insulating space (14); characterized in that a regulating algorithm is configured to determine the heating power missing due to defective radiant heaters (31) and to compensate it with the help of a longer heating time in such a way that the heat energy supplied as a whole by means of the non-defective radiant heaters (21) remains constant, independently of the number of the defective radiant heaters (21), insofar as a defined number of defective radiant heaters (21) is not exceeded.

2. The device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the radiant heaters (21) are surrounded by an inner wall (13) and the thermally insulating space (14) is arranged between the inner wall (13) and the outer housing wall (4).

3. The device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the thermally insulating space (14) is at least partly filled with a thermally insulating material.

4. The device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the cooling air flows through the thermally insulating material during the conduction along the air duct (28).

5. The device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air duct (28) is formed so as to encompass electrical contact or connection regions (22, 23) radiant heaters (21).

6. The device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air duct (28) is formed so as to encompass a standing surface (15), on which the glass drinking bottle (2) stands when the latter is arranged in the bottle receiving space (7).

7. The device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heating means (20) has an arrangement of rod radiant heaters, which are arranged around the bottle receiving space (7).

8. The device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an interference protection (25) is arranged on a housing opening (6), via which the glass drinking bottle (2) is insertable in the bottle receiving space (7).

9. The device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heating means (20) couples to a control means (19), which is configured to control an operation of the heating means (20).

10. The device (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that a sensor means (17) couples to the control means (19), which sensor means is configured to detect if the glass drinking bottle (2) is arranged in the bottle receiving space (7).

11. The device (1) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the control means (19) is configured to block an activation of the heating means (20) when it is determined by means of the control means (19) that the sensor means (17) indicates for a time period, which is shorter than a threshold time period, that no glass drinking bottle (2) is arranged in the bottle receiving space (7).

12. The device (1) according to at least one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that a detection means couples to the control means (19), which detection means is configured to determine the frozen drink in such a way that the control means (19) controls the heating means (20) during operation as a function of the determining of the frozen drink.

13. A method for thawing a frozen drink in a glass drinking bottle, in the case of which a device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims is provided, a glass drinking bottle (2) is arranged in a bottle receiving space (7) in a housing (3) of the device (1) and the frozen drink is thawed in the glass drinking bottle (2).